Pages in Between
by TheIrishShipperholic
Summary: AU/AH. Collaboration with Erin Salvatore. Sequel to "Angels in a Centerfold". It's the next generation's turn to fall in love, while the girls earn their way through college as 'calendar girls', they also go through curveballs that life throws at them, even a loss of someone they love very dearly.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Pages in Between  
**Authors:** Erin (Erin Salvatore) and Katie (TheIrishShipperholic)  
**Disclaimer:** Neither of us can take credit for anything but this story and any original character we created.  
**Show/Movie/Book:** The Vampire Diaries  
**Pairings/Couples:** Dante Salvatore && Andrea Donovan, Liam Mikaelson && Aubrey Talbot, Riley Talbot && Mackenzie Salvatore, Colin Mikaelson && Tanya Lockwood, Maria Mikaelson && Gavin Donovan, Penelope "Penny" Gilbert and multiple other characters and couples. Mentions of: Mapril (Matt/April), Delena (Damon/Elena), Klaroline (Klaus/Caroline), Jenna (Jeremy/Anna), JeRic (Jenna/Alaric), Lexol (Lexi/Kol), Kalijah (Katherine/Elijah), Sinn (Sage/Finn), Stebekah (Stefan/Rebekah), Vane (Vicki/Zane, original male character), multiple other couples  
**Rating:** M/Mature/R  
**Summary:** It's the next generation's turn to fall in love, while the girls earn their way through college as 'calendar girls', they also go through curveballs that life throws at them, even a loss of someone they love very dearly.  
**Authors' Notes:** This was of my own creation and after very little persuasion from me toward Erin, we were able to come up with this collaboration.

**Chapter One**

Twenty Years Later – Charlotte, South Carolina

Andrea Donovan let out a soft groan as she let her slender body flop onto the bed in the dorm room she shared with her best friend, Mackenzie Salvatore, whom she called Mac. "Are you finally sore yet?" Mackenzie asked her with a smirk.

Andrea glanced at her playfully. "You know, Mac, that cousin of yours is really something; he can love with the best of them. Honestly, there's got to be something about the Salvatore genes that makes them so wild in the bedroom."

Mackenzie rolled her eyes and slapped Andrea's shoulder. "Hey, watch your mouth or I'll have to call Uncle Stefan and let him know what you said. And I will too!"

Andrea laughed. "Relax, Mac, I was just playing. The last thing I really need is your uncle giving me a lecture about how to speak to his son."

They were interrupted by the arrival of Maria Mikaelson, who was Mac's cousin, Aubrey Talbot, who was Andrea's cousin, Tanya Lockwood and Penelope "Penny" Gilbert, who was also Mac's cousin. Maria flopped down onto Mac's bed while Aubrey squished herself beside Andrea. "So, what are you two up to anyway?" Tanya asked as she settled herself into one of the two desk chairs while Penny took the other one.

"We were just talking about Andrea and her fascination with my cousin, sorry, I mean our cousin," Mac said as Maria pinched her slightly in the side.

Tanya smiled. "Well, I can definitely see why she'd be shy about a fascination with your cousin. My, my, Dante Salvatore, what a fine specimen he is. If I wasn't already spoken for, I'd snag him like that!" She snapped her fingers to prove her point.

Mac rolled her eyes. "Oh God, not you too," she said with a groan.

Penny rolled her eyes as well and looked toward Mac. "I know. It's disgusting. I don't even know why we hang out with Tanya. Oh, wait, that's right, we have no choice."

"You have a choice, but you still chose me as the final member of your group, so there," Tanya pointed out to the other girl.

Andrea bounced up from the bed when her cell phone buzzed in her pocket, squealing happily to the other girls, "He wants to schedule a private session!"

Mac heard what Andrea said. "Really? That's awesome!"

Andrea nodded. "I know, right? It's the best news I've gotten all week!" Then the auburn-haired girl paused as she came to realize that she knew she wasn't going to be prepared. "I've, um, I've got find something suitable to wear. I have nothing to wear!" Her voice had risen until it was almost a wail, but Aubrey stepped over and put her hands on Andrea's shoulders.

"No, you're going to calm down first. Your dad once told me that one of his sessions included Aunt April in nothing but a bed sheet, so ask him if he has any of those that you can use, and that will certainly entice him a little and see you as more than just a 'fascination'," Aubrey tells her with a sweet smile.

Tanya smiled and licked her lips. "Mmm, yeah, definitely go for the bed sheet. Dante will eat that up for sure." Another smile appeared as she remembered being curled up in the arms of Colin Mikaelson, Maria's brother.

Andrea sighed. "I don't know. We've never really discussed that kind of thing. He told me that he wanted to keep our relationship 'strictly professional'," she tells her friends. Dante had been friends with her big brother before he ever took notice of her and now, she was all grown up, but he still wasn't looking her way in _that_ way.

"After this, he'll definitely see you in a different light!" Aubrey encouraged her cousin with a smile, going with her to the closet so they could pick out an outfit that was sexy but not revealing.

**New York**…

Caroline Forbes Mikaelson drummed her fingers on the table. She had just gotten home from picking up Sebastian, the 10 year old that she and Klaus adopted several months ago. He had been having difficultly adjusting and she thought it was because he wasn't used to being in a family environment, especially since his real mother had abandoned him. He got along great with his older adoptive siblings Anastasia, 18, Lillian, 16 and Christian, 14, but it was children his age that he had a hard time associating with. Caroline adored Sebastian and it worried her that he was so young and had been treated that way by his own mother.

She was still thinking about it when a knock came to the door. Curious as to whom it was, Caroline answered it and saw Elena Gilbert Salvatore standing there. Just like her, Elena was also a mother of five. Aside from Mackenzie, she and her husband, Damon, had the 18 year old triplets Damian, Dominic and Juliet, and 16 year old Katie (named for Katherine, but she was called Katie to avoid confusion). Elena saw the look on her friend's face and grew concerned. "Let me guess, Sebastian again?"

"Yeah," the blonde replied. "Nik and I don't know what to do. He gets along great with the older kids, but when it comes to kids his age; he just shies away from them. The principal told me that she was concerned about him, and frankly, we are too."

"You can't expect him to adjust overnight, Care," Elena said. "You just adopted him several months ago."

Caroline nodded. "I know." She ran a hand through her hair. "As if this family didn't already have enough problems to deal with, Sage called me the other day and told me that Esther has been seen with a young man. And by young, I mean in his twenties, like twenty-four, twenty-five."

"What? She's with a guy Gavin's age?" Elena said. "Why would she go for someone that young?"

"No idea, but the whole family hates her for it, including Mikael," Caroline said. "Esther may not be his wife anymore, but that doesn't mean he can't be concerned about her. He told her she's wasting her time with him, but Esther's being a stubborn old bitch, told him to butt out of her life.

"Hmm," Elena said thoughtfully. "I'm just glad that it isn't Elizabetta. She's such the sweetest lady and we all adore her just as much as we adore Eleanor."

Caroline smiled. "Yeah, I know. I liked Eleanor from the moment I met her."

"I should hope you did, love, because she definitely liked you." Caroline and Elena turned to see Klaus coming toward them. He was getting ready to head to the art gallery he was opening in midtown Manhattan, something that he had been hoping to do since he graduated from New York Art Institute, and now he was going to be having his own gallery, where his artwork would be displayed and sold. Except, of course, for the ones he did of Caroline. Those were personal and private and he wouldn't dare sell those.

Caroline smiled at her husband and gave him a kiss hello, stepping back to admire what he was wearing. "Wow, you look amazing, Nik. You definitely look like the owner of an art gallery." She kissed him again. "How's Sebastian doing?"

"He's fine. He's doing his homework now." He kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, love, he'll adjust. We just have to give him time." He looked at Elena. "Hello, Elena."

"Hey, Klaus," the brunette replied. "I just heard about your mother and her 'boy toy'."

"Boy toy is a good word for it," Klaus said. "At least father is in an age-appropriate relationship. I swear; she's taken the term 'cougar' to new extreme. I just hope she wakes up before she ruins her life, if she hasn't already done so." He checked his watch. "Well, I'd hate to cut this short, ladies, but I've got to get to the gallery." He kissed Caroline. "I'll see you later, love." He went up to Elena and gave her a chaste kiss on the knuckles. "It's always a pleasure to see you, Elena. Give Damon my regards."

With that, he walked out just as the bus from the high school stopped on the corner, and Anastasia, Lillian and Christian were getting off and crossing the street toward the brownstone.

**Back in South Carolina**

Andrea was almost to the studio that was owned by her brother Gavin, Dante and Riley Talbot, Aubrey's older brother when she was suddenly pulled back into an alley. "Hello there, pretty lady," the voice sneered to her, and she began to struggle against his firm hold on her.

"HELP, SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!" she screamed once she was able to manage to bite his fingers, releasing her before she stomped on his foot over his expensive boots. Before she could run away, he was pulling her back toward him, pushing her back against the wall and ripping her favorite dress, a gift from her brother for graduation from high school. "Please, don't hurt me…"

Dante Salvatore was coming outside for some air when he heard a scream coming from the alley. Quickly, he raced over to see a rather rough man and when he looked at the girl he was attacking, he recognized her right away – it was Andrea! He lunged at the man, knocking him to the ground and punching him repeatedly until there was blood on his face and shirt. "Did anyone ever teach you to treat a lady with respect?" he growled. "You're lucky I'm not going to kill you for this, you bastard!" He got up and kicked the guy in the balls, listening to his cries of pain. "Yeah, go ahead and cry, like a baby, dick. Not so tough now, are you?" Dante then looked toward Andrea, who was obviously scared out of her mind. Going over to her, he pulled her into his arms, hearing her sobbing as he held her close to him. "Shhh, its okay now, Andrea, he's not going to hurt you anymore; I've got you."

Andrea sobbed harder. "Oh, Dante, I was so scared."

"I know, but it's over now," Dante said. "You're safe." He nodded toward the studio. "Let's get you inside." Andrea said nothing, just let him lead her into the studio. Dante was glad that Gavin wasn't here, because if he saw Andrea in that condition, he'd be out for blood. The same went for Riley, whom Andrea saw as her second big brother. He'd most likely join Gavin in his quest to kill the bastard who did this. Dante helped Andrea onto the couch, feeling her trembling as he sat her down, placing a blanket around her. "Sit tight and I'll get you some tea."

Andrea nodded. "Thank you, Dante."

He kissed her forehead gently. "You're my best friend's little sister, Andrea, so that sort of makes you family," he tells her before going to the kitchen part of the studio to start preparing the tea.

While he was doing that, Andrea disappeared to the bathroom, where she was glad to find a bed sheet hanging there. Quickly stripping down to her underwear, she left her ripped dress and her bra in a pile on the bathroom floor then returned out into the living room, finding Dante browsing through programs on the television. "Can we do that session now?" she asked in a sultry, seductive tone.

Dante turned and saw Andrea in the bed sheet. "If you think you're up to it, then yes," he replied.

She nodded. "I'm ready," Andrea replied. She wasn't about to let what happened in the alley scare her off from confessing her feelings for the boy who still thought her to be like a 'little sister' to him.

He nodded before standing up and moving around to set up the photo equipment around the part of the studio that was reserved for sessions. Andrea sat patiently, her legs sprawled out over the arm of the armchair that she sat in, swinging them back and forth, back and forth. Once he got everything set up, he walked over and stood in front of the armchair before sweeping her into his arms, chuckling at her protesting squeal. "I have always wanted to do that," he confessed as he set her down on the chaise lounge – the same one that her mother sat on over twenty years ago.

"I'll bet you have, Dante Salvatore," Andrea said. "Now, about that session…"

Dante nodded. "Right, let's get started before I get too distracted by your beauty."

Moving around her, he used all kinds of different angles, having her lay on her back a few times so he could get close-ups of her face then from the shoulders up. Then he completely surprised her by taking pictures of her feet. "What are you doing?" she said as she laughed and tried to cover her small feet up with the bottom of the sheet.

"Do you know what I first liked about you?" he asked, uncovering her feet and taking a few more photographs of them before stopping to look up at her.

"No, what did you first like about me?" she asked, her teeth worrying her lower lip between them.

Dante smiled. "Your laugh and your smile," he replied.

"Oh. I was afraid you were going to say my feet," she said.

Dante chuckled. "I do like your feet, but not as much as hearing your laughter or seeing your smile light up a room," he told her.

Andrea laughed and playfully slapped his arm. "Dante, you're such a tease!"

"I can be a lot more than that, you know," he said before moving until he had hovered above her, their eyes meeting and locking on each other. Andrea closed her eyes just seconds after he leaned down to claim her lips in a soft, passionate kiss, moaning the moment their tongues collided.

Andrea let out a muffled squeal against Dante's lips as she returned his kiss, her body feeling like it was on fire.

Dante heard the muffled squeal and sat back up, keeping their gazes locked as his fingers began to unbutton his shirt. Andrea sat up with him, kissing along his jaw and neck as she helped him get rid of the shirt, and once it was gone, Andrea lifted her arms a little for Dante to guide the sheet she wore down and onto the floor. She covered her body with her arms, suddenly feeling shy around him – especially after what had happened. Lifting her chin, Dante began peppering kisses along her arms, making them tender and nipping sometimes with his teeth until she lowered them down until they were at her sides once again.

Andrea moaned as she felt Dante's gentle kisses and it seemed to make what happened earlier go away. She combed her fingers up into his hair and pulled his mouth back to hers, moaning as their tongues collided like earlier then began to kiss along his jaw and neck when he swept her into his arms to carry her toward the stairs. "No. Too far," she demanded. He nodded and set her down on her feet, his hands moving down to the waistband of her panties, pulling them down her legs and kneeling down with them.

Dante gently spread her legs and kissed her inner thigh. Looking up at her, he said, "Are you nervous, Andrea?"

She nodded swiftly, her leg settling over his shoulder. "Uh-huh," she replied just as quickly as the nod she gave him. She swallowed what was left of her courage as she met the stare of his golden-hazel eyes from where he still knelt in front of her. Andrea was naked and exposed – in every sense of the two words – in front of the guy who had always considered her a little sister, but he wouldn't anymore.

Dante moved his kisses up her thigh until he reached her core. Andrea felt his kisses move up her thigh until they reached her core, feeling the heat she felt earlier beginning to increase. She let out a scream as she felt him playing with her pussy, earning her a smile from Dante, who was no doubt feeling his hard erection against his jeans.

Andrea sighed when she felt him stand back up, opening her eyes to stare into his dark ones, her arms lifting to wrap around his neck. Her head tilted back when she felt him – _all_ of him – against her and Dante used that as his opening to push himself into her, thrusting gently at first before increasing his thrusts, moving harder and faster into her.

Andrea moaned as she felt Dante thrusting harder and faster, clutching onto his hair. When he knew she was getting close, he brought his hand down and pinched the bundle of nerves between his thumb and forefinger and she clutched his hair harder until the point of pain, which he didn't feel. Andrea felt sweat cascading down her face as she felt what he was doing and the moan from earlier turned into a pleasurable scream, clutching onto his hair so tight that she nearly ripped out a few strands. "Oh God, Dante, that feels so good!" she gasped out.

Dante grunted his approval at her words, thrusting a few more times before collapsing onto the floor with her still in his arms. He turned them until he was the one against the wall then let his hands caress over her face, kissing her softly before staring into her eyes. "Somehow, I imagined your first time to be a lot different than this," he told her quietly.

"How did you picture it?" she asked with a soft, sweet smile, giving his lips a fleeting kiss before putting her hands over his on her face.

Dante smiled and returned her kiss. "For one thing, my fantasy didn't involve a would-be rapist. It involved someone that love you more than his own life, and would give you everything your heart desired."

Andrea giggled. "And would that someone be you, by any chance, Mr. Salvatore or would it be someone else?"

"Would you like it to be me?"

Andrea rolled her eyes. "No, Riley." She playfully slapped his arm. "Of course I'd like it to be you, silly. There's no one else I'd rather pick to be my first."

"I'm going to treat you like a princess for the next time we make love, and it won't be against a wall or on a floor like now," Dante told her as he ran his hands through her auburn hair and kissing her again. "For now, why don't we get dressed and watch a movie?"

Andrea smiled. "That sounds good to me. But, I'll make the popcorn."

"Deal," Dante said. "I like mine with extra butter." He wiggled his eyebrows as he said that, earning him a giggle from Andrea, as well as another playful slap on his arm.

**Meanwhile**…

Riley Talbot looked at his cell phone and made sure that the text message his beloved sister sent him was accurate before pushing open the door to her hospital room. "Is it true?" he demanded to her and she glowered at him before grimacing in pain.

Aubrey glared at her brother after the pain subsided slightly. "Yes, Riley, it's true. God, why do you always have to make a big deal out of everything? I know it's your duty as my big brother, to be honest, it can get to be very annoying, especially when your sister is old enough to handle herself."

He moved forward to collapse onto the chair beside her, picking up her hand. "Aubrey, you mean the world to me, to Liam, to everyone in our group," he said, leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead.

"Yes, but if you tell Liam about this, I'm going to kick your butt," Aubrey said in a low warning tone. Riley nodded and made an 'X' over his chest, where his heart was.

"I solemnly swear that your secret will be safe with me, sis," he told her.

Aubrey nodded. "Yeah, well, I'm going to hold you to that, Riley."

"Believe me, this is one promise I intend to keep," her brother replied. "I love you, Aubrey, and I'll keep this secret forever if need be."

**Author's Note 2:** This wouldn't be the first next-generation fan fiction I've done, but the other one has not been written, so I'll consider this my first!


	2. Chapter 2

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Dante saves Andrea from a would-be rapist and Riley agrees to keep his sister's medical situation a secret._**

**Chapter Two**

**Colin Mikaelson's Apartment – Later On**…

Colin Mikaelson watched as his girlfriend, Tanya, slept next to him, gently stroking her cheek with his index finger. She had come over about two hours ago and they had rushed into his bedroom, where the made love again and again. Colin always loved it whenever Tanya came over because he loved her so deeply. He had inherited his father, Elijah's soft, romantic nature, but also had his mother, Katherine's wild, passionate side, so it was no wonder why Tanya was so drawn to him. While that wasn't the only reason she was drawn to him, it served as one of the reasons. "You're staring again," he heard her say in a soft murmur and he jumped slightly when he saw her dark amber eyes had opened when he looked down at her.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" he asked as he moved until his hand was engulfed into the curls of her dark hair to pull her closer, kissing her in a soft, passionate manner.

Tanya smiled as she returned his kiss. "No, but I saw you staring at me."

"I do apologize, angel," Colin said. "You're just so beautiful that I can't help but want to look at you." He kissed her again. "I love you, Tanya."

She moved until she was over him, looking down into his eyes. "I love you too, Colin Mikaelson," she whispered before claiming his lips in a soft, passionate kiss.

Colin smiled against Tanya's lips as he returned her kiss, running his hands down her back and grabbing her sweet ass, playfully squeezing it.

**Meanwhile**…

Andrea stared at her brother in a pointed manner as he began to pace the length of the miniature living room in the studio in front of her. "Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded as he walked back and forth, pausing a few times to meet head-on the glare she sent his way.

"Because you're my brother, Gavin, and you weren't around. Dante was just in the right place at the right time, okay?" Andrea said as she stood up and moved over to him, stopping him mid-pace before hugging him.

Gavin nodded as Andrea hugged him. "I know, I know. I don't mean to sound like I'm being overly protective of you. I suppose I should be grateful to Dante for being there for you. After all, he does care about you a great deal and he was only doing what any decent guy in his position would've done. His last name does mean 'savior'."

Andrea smiled. "Yes, it does. Dante is my savior, in every sense of the word."

Just then, Dante walked into the studio with his cousin Maria Mikaelson right behind him. "Look who I found lurking outside," Dante said as Maria ran to hug first Andrea then Gavin, kissing him as well.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I wanted to check up on you both," Maria explained as Gavin held her close to him.

Andrea smiled. "We're okay, Maria. Though, I do appreciate the concern." Curiously, she added, "Where's Colin? Usually, you two come as a set."

Maria rolled her eyes. "He's with Tanya, as usual. Personally, I don't know what he sees in her. He could have any girl he wants, and he had to pick her. But, I suppose he couldn't help himself, being a Mikaelson and all."

**Meanwhile**…

April Young Donovan was putting on her makeup in the bathroom when she felt a pair of hands settle at her waist, looking up to smile at her husband in the mirror. "Hello, handsome," she said, blowing a kiss at him via their reflections.

Matt smiled at his wife. "Hello, beautiful."

"After all these years, that nickname you gave me still gives me goose bumps."

"I'm glad it does," Matt said. "So, are you ready to go?"

April nodded. "Mmhm, I'm just about done. I just need to get my shoes on and we're good to go."

They were celebrating another successful opening of The Grill, located not far from where Klaus' gallery was. Vicki and Zane had taken over the one back in Mystic Falls, while Vicki also ran her dress shop, _Dresses are A Girl's Best Friend_, and while they were both sad that Gavin and Andrea weren't here, they were happy nonetheless to have Fiona, 17, Torrance, 15 and Ian, 12, celebrating with them.

Damon smiled later at Matt as the party continued. He was happy for his friend. "Congratulations, buddy, the place is definitely going to be as successful as the one in Mystic Falls."

Matt nodded. "Thanks, Damon. I wanted to give New York a taste of small-town dining, so that's why we opened this place."

April and Elena came up to them, both wearing 50's style costumes. "You're not going to be turning into party poopers, are you?" they both said with a frown before laughing at each other when they realized what they'd just done.

Damon and Matt both chuckled then took their wives by the hand, coming up with different kinds of nicknames for Elena and April as they led them out to the dance floor, where Matt and April did the hand Jive and Damon and Elena began to dance a freestyle, which was their favorite, since they were both fans of 'Dancing with the Stars'.

Elena laughed as she and Damon continued to freestyle dance. She never got tired of dancing with her husband, since she knew that he had moves that she had never seen before. "What's that smile for, Mrs. Salvatore?" he asked when the music changed to a slower tune.

"This smile is for you, Mr. Salvatore. This smile is to show you how much you amaze me with all the little things you can do," she said with a peck to his lips. He pulled her back to his lips, kissing her in a soft, passionate manner as he aligned the lower halves of their bodies.

A nudge to Damon's elbow interrupted them. "Hey, you two, if you're going to be doing _that_ in our restaurant, please take it to the back," Matt instructed both of them. Damon and Elena both groaned but smiled at their friends before Elena tugged on her husband's hand, pulling him into the back, where she found the door labeled 'Office', and when they were safely locked inside, she brought her hands up to the buttons of her itchy wool sweater that complemented her dark blue poodle skirt.

Damon licked his lips as he watched what his wife was doing. He always loved it when she did things to turn him on, and this was no exception. Once she got the sweater off, he removed his leather jacket and threw it on the floor next to the sweater, pulling her into his arms and kissing her passionately as they removed the rest of their clothes before moving to the bed that Matt and April had installed for themselves whenever they got into "the mood".

Elena knelt in front of Damon when they got to the bed, running her fingers over the delicious smooth planes of his chest and smiling up at him. "You're still so sexy after all these years," she told him softly.

"And you are just as beautiful, cara mia," he replied, kissing her lips quickly before lowering her onto the bed, joining her as his hands cupped her full breasts then leaned down to claim one with his lips.

Elena moaned as she felt Damon's lips on her breasts, arching her back and the moan turned into a pleasurable cry. Damon smiled against her breast before moving his hands down her body to her hips, grabbing onto them as he then drove himself into her core, thrusting slowly at first and then gradually picked up speed. Elena trembled underneath him, gyrating against his thrusts, keeping in sync with him. "Harder, Damon," she said. "Faster. Slow was good before we were married, but tonight, I want it hard and fast. Give it to me, my Italian Stallion!"

Damon licked his lips when she gave him that new nickname. "Hold on tight, my little tigress, because this Italian Stallion is built for speed." With that, he moved harder and faster against her, kissing her roughly as he moved. Elena returned his rough kisses and matched his speed. Feeling herself getting close to the edge, she threw her head back and let out a scream so loud she was afraid her vocal chords would shatter. He let out a scream of his own half a beat later then collapsed gently onto her before rolling onto his side, tracing a finger down her cheek. "I'm so glad that we decided to do that, because I have been itching to do it all day. Being cooped up in an office doesn't suit me, or you, for that matter."

Elena smiled. "Oh, yeah, I hate offices. They're so boring and confining."

After she graduated from college, she, Caroline and April were featured in a calendar photo shoot, which each of their husbands supervised. April had asked to do it while she was still pregnant, explaining to Matt that she wasn't going to be shy about being naked _and_ pregnant; it was all a part of nature. He had done a few shots with her, where she was wrapped in a sheet and he was wearing only his jeans, their hands intertwined as they smiled at each other with their hands over her pregnant stomach. Elena graduated from college with high honors and decided to run her own business, which Caroline helps with when she can, but ended up giving the business to Katherine and Elijah so she could stay at home with the kids until they got old enough for school, going back to it recently.

Damon sighed. "It's a shame Mackenzie is in South Carolina. She'd have a blast. I guess she'll hear about from the triplets, or even Katie, since they're so close."

Elena smiled and kissed Damon on the lips before groaning when she heard her cell phone ringing in her purse. Leaving his arms briefly, she went over to their scattered clothes and found it in her small coin purse, going back to rejoin Damon on the mattress and answering it when she saw that it was their eldest daughter. "Mackenzie, hi!" she said enthusiastically, following Damon's instructions when he gestured for her to put it on speaker-phone.

"Hi Mom, I'm sorry that I'm not there with you!" Mackenzie's voice said through the phone and Elena smiled even though her daughter couldn't see her.

"Hi sweetheart," Damon said before kissing Elena's bare shoulder.

"Daddy, hi," Mackenzie said excitedly. "I miss you!"

"We miss you too," Damon said. "Katie keeps asking about you, and it's driving the triplets' nuts. Well, the boys anyway. Juliet is a bit more tolerant."

**South Carolina**

Mackenzie laughed from her end of the line, stifling a moan so her parents couldn't tell what she was doing, slapping Riley's hand away from her inner thigh. "I'll come and see you all soon, I promise. Tell Auntie April and Uncle Matty that I miss them both!" she said before ending the call. "You have a very dirty mind, Mr. Talbot, and that wasn't very nice what you did while I was on the phone with MY parents!" By now, her voice had slid up an octave as she got out of bed and left the room, stomping the entire time, going to the kitchen.

"Mac, you know I'm sorry, don't you?" he called out as he went after her, putting his boxers on as he went.

Mackenzie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know."

She shrieked loudly when he grabbed her around the waist, pinning her back against his hard body. "And I'm going to keep being sorry, if I can make it up to you," he told her in a soft growl against her shoulder.

"How about you make it up to me by fixing pancakes, Mr. Talbot?" she replied back, turning in his arms to kiss him passionately but softly.

Riley nodded. "Pancakes coming right up," he said. That being said, he collected his clothes and went to get dressed before heading to the kitchen to cook for his beloved.

**In Mystic Falls**…

Jeremy knelt beside his mother's bed, clasping her hand in his. Miranda noticed the sad look on her son's face. "I know it's hard for you to see me like this, Jeremy. It's hardly a picnic for your father, and he's seen worse."

He nodded and kissed the knuckles of the hand that he held in his own, tears running down his cheeks. "It's too bad that Elena couldn't be here, because we all knew your time would come, just not this soon," he told his mother.

Before Miranda could respond, Katherine came rushing up the stairs, stopping in the doorway. "Mom," was all she said as she moved over to the other side of the bed, taking her mother's other hand.

"Katherine, sweetheart, its okay to cry, you know," Miranda said as she stroked her daughter's dark hair and her cheek before firmly squeezing her hand.

Katherine sniffed. "I don't want you to go, Mommy. I love you. We all do."

"I know you do, sweetheart, but it is my time to go," Miranda told her daughter. "You will both see me again someday, I promise."

Katherine sobbed as tears came down her cheeks. "It's not fair, though. I wanted you to be around to see Maria's wedding, and Colin's wedding. I wanted you to see your great-grandchildren. You can't go yet, Mom, you just can't!"

Elijah came in at that moment, having seen his wife break down, and pulls her into a comforting embrace. "I'll take her outside for some air."

Miranda nodded. "Thank you, Elijah."

But Katherine retaliated in anger toward her husband once they were outside. She turned her back on him and fumed the entire way to the swing/bench that sat nestled between two trees, which he'd put in, after building it with his own two hands. Elijah waited a few minutes before joining her, keeping his back to the tree as he watched the emotions in her face.

Elijah ran his fingers through Katherine's curls. "I know how you feel, angel. I don't want to lose her either."

Katherine stood up and fell into his open arms, sobbing into his chest as he rocked them back and forth. He kissed the top of her head as her sobs finally ceased once and for all, then looked down into her mocha brown eyes. Before she could utter a peep, they were interrupted by Jeremy arriving. Katherine only had to see the sadness in his eyes to know that their mother was gone from this life, sobbing harder into her husband's chest as he continued to rock them.

**The Grill – Later On**…

Elena was just getting her clothes back on when she heard her phone ring. Curious as to whom it was, she looked at the ID and saw Katherine's number. That was strange, why was she calling? Deciding to find out, she pressed SEND and put the phone to her ear. "Katherine?"

A sob was heard as her sister replied, "Elena, its Mom. She…she just passed away."

"What?" Elena said. "When?"

"About an hour ago," Katherine said. "Jeremy, Elijah and I are here."

Elena listened to what her sister was saying and put her hand on her mouth as tears stung her eyes. "I'll come out there. The arrangements obviously have to be made. I know I wasn't there to see Mom before she passed, but I'll be there to make the funeral arrangements."

"Elena…"

"Don't argue with me, Katherine. I'll leave New York first thing in the morning and be in Mystic Falls by the afternoon or evening."

Before Katherine could protest, Elena hung up and fell to her knees, letting out a sob. Damon noticed and came over to her. "Elena, love, what is it? Talk to me, what's wrong?"

"That was Katherine," she replied. "My mother just died."

Damon, hearing this, pulled his wife into a hug. "And you want to go to Mystic Falls to plan the funeral?"

Elena nodded. "Yes."

"I'm coming with you," Damon said. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you drive when you're this upset. Besides, you're going to need me. You told me I was your rock, remember?"

Elena knew she couldn't argue with that, so she nodded again. "You're right, Damon, you are my rock. I'm going to need you more than ever."

**Down in Virginia**

Penny Gilbert was in the middle of teaching a dance routine to the group of people in the studio she co-owned with Mackenzie when her cell phone beeped below her feet. She leaned down to answer it. "Alright, everyone, take 5," she commanded and everyone did just that as she left the room to go into the hallway for more privacy. Penny looked at the ID and when she saw her father's number, she wondered why he was calling and pressed SEND before putting it to her ear. "Daddy?"

"I have bad news, Penny," he replied. "Your grandmother died last night."

"Grandma Mimi?" Penny said. "But, that's impossible. I spoke to her the other day. She was fine!"

"I know, sweetheart, but she got worse after your phone call and she passed away just last night," Jeremy said to his only daughter.

Penny bit her lip. "Oh God, what am I going to tell Mac? I mean, Grandma Mimi was her grandmother too."

"Just tell her the truth, sweetheart," Jeremy told his daughter before hearing his phone beep, letting him know that another call was coming in. "Sweetheart, that's your mom and Nana Pearl. I'll see you for the funeral, right?"

"Okay, Daddy, and I'll see you then," Penny said before ending the phone call. She turned when one of her dancers came up to her. "Yes, Gillian, what is it?"

"Madame Gilbert, is everything alright?" Gillian asked with a concerned tone in her voice. Penny nodded.

"Everything is fine, Gillian. I just found out my grandmother passed away," she replied solemnly.

Gillian gasped. "Oh, Madame Gilbert, I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," Penny said. "Could you tell Madame Salvatore that I need to talk to her?"

Gillian nodded and disappeared from the room. Mackenzie appeared a few minutes later, a curious scowl on her face. "Penny, what's going on? Gillian said that you needed to talk to me."

Penny then decided not to beat around the bush and said, "Mac, I just got off the phone with my dad. Grandma Mimi just died."

"What? But, you just talked to her the other day. How the hell could she have gone from sounding healthy to being dead?"

"Daddy said she got worse after my phone call," Penny said. "We'll have to close the studio for a couple of days and go to Mystic Falls for the funeral.

Mackenzie nodded as tears stung her eyes. Penny then pulled her cousin to her in a hug as she heard her sob against her.

**Author's Note:** Yes, I know it's a sad ending, but the next chapter will be happier towards the end, we promise!


	3. Chapter 3

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", April & Matt and Damon & Elena celebrate another successful opening of the Mystic Grill, this time in New York, and Damon and Elena christen the back room of it. Katherine and Jeremy both say their goodbyes to Miranda, and Elijah comforts his wife when Jeremy comes out to tell them that she had passed away. Katherine tells Elena, and Jeremy tells Penny, who tells Mackenzie, about Miranda passing away._**

**Chapter Three**

**Mystic Falls – Fell's Church**…

Mackenzie tried not to break down at the sight of her grandmother in front of her in the coffin that was open to the public. She was thankful for Riley coming with her and Penny for the funeral, because it just wouldn't be the same if he wasn't there.

Elena held Damon's hand as they sat together in the pew. She saw Mackenzie trying not to cry and took her hand as well, gently squeezing it. "It's okay, sweetheart," she whispered to her eldest daughter. "Don't hold your tears back. You can cry." As she said that, Elena started crying herself and Damon squeezed her hand, letting her know he was there for her.

Down the pew, Elijah held Katherine close to him, stroking her dark curls as she sobbed into his chest. Maria sat next to her father and Colin sat between Mackenzie and Katherine, his hand hold his mother's as she cried.

**Up at the Altar – Fell's Church**

Pastor Young looked out at the congregation and saw the mourners that turned out for the funeral. He cleared his throat and spoke. "Miranda Sommers Gilbert was a kind and loving soul. She leaves behind her husband, Grayson, her children Katherine, Jeremy and Elena, as well as eight grandchildren, whom she also loved dearly and she shall be missed dearly by them and everyone who knew her, including myself; she also precedes her younger sister Jennifer "Jenna" Sommers Saltzman in death, her brother in law Alaric Saltzman and niece Hannah and nephew Trenton." Pastor Young then said, "If anyone wants to say a few words, the pulpit is yours."

Everyone was shocked when Gavin stepped up to the podium to give his speech. "My mother, April, was forced to give me up for adoption, but if it hadn't been for the Gilbert family, Miranda included, I would not have been reunited with her. So I'm thankful for Miranda Gilbert being a part of my life, both as someone who looked after my mom, and for being my adopted aunt," he said before returning to his seat behind Maria.

Elena decided to go up next, so she let go of Mackenzie's hand and Damon led her up to the pulpit. "My mother was always there for us when we were growing up. She kissed our boo-boos and gave us cookies and milk. I'll always love her and I'll definitely miss her." She looked up. "I love you, Mommy."

A gentle breeze made its way through the room at her words and it lifted both Elena's and Katherine's spirits a little, because they both knew that their mother was there with them in spirit.

Damon took his wife's hand and led her back to the pew, kissing her cheek. "That was a beautiful speech, Elena."

She nodded then watched as Mackenzie and Penny got up there together, with Penny wrapping a gentle arm around her cousin's shoulders. "Mimi was always the person we went to whenever we didn't want to trouble Mom or Uncle Jeremy or Aunt Katherine," Mackenzie said, tears stinging the corners of her blue eyes. "She comforted us when we got hurt and was there for us, even when she got sick. She was there for all of us when we graduated high school and I know that she'll be there in spirit when we graduate college, and get married and have families of our own."

Penny gave Mackenzie a tissue and while her cousin wiped her eyes, she said, "Just like Aunt Elena, I remember Grandma Mimi giving me cookies and milk whenever I came to visit her. Then, afterward, we would sit on the swing on the porch and talk about all kinds of things. I loved seeing her smile and hearing her laugh. She would even spoil me and say, 'Mommy says no, but Grandma Mimi says 'yes'. Sure, Nana Pearl spoiled me too, but Grandma Mimi had that special way of spoiling me. And as Mackenzie just said, I know that she'll be there in spirit to see us graduate from college, get married, and have our own families." She blew a kiss up to heaven. "We miss you already, Grandma Mimi, but we know you're here, and we'll make you proud."

**Later, After the Funeral – Mystic Grill Alley**

Penny wiped away the tears then turned her back away from the door when she heard it open. "Penelope, what's wrong?" she heard someone ask and she knew immediately who it was. Only one person called her by her full name and she quickly began stalking away from that said person, putting some distance between them and her as she headed further away from the Grill.

"Go away, Riley," she demanded in a hushed tone. "Aren't you supposed to be inside with your girlfriend? You might remember her, she's also my cousin."

"Penelope, please wait," he said, pulling her back to him with his soft callused hands spanning her waist over the all-black dress-and-jacket combination she wore. "Can we please talk about what happened last year?"

"What is there to talk about, Riley? We had a fling, and we ended it. That's it, end of sentence," she said, willing her body not to give into the temptation of turning around in his arms and kiss him senseless.

Riley sighed. "Yes, but I feel like there were things that were left unsaid. I can't help but think about every time I see you. I love Mac, I do; she's wonderful. I also still love you, Penelope, and I don't want to have any unresolved issues so that I can move forward."

"You CAN'T love me, Riley, not when you're with my cousin!" Penny yelled quietly, her voice echoing into the alley, and Riley clamped his hand over her mouth, stepping with her until they were in a deserted building behind the Grill.

"Don't make a fuss, Penelope, or you'll alert everyone to our secret," he hissed when they were alone.

"Our secret has been a secret for over a year, Riley. We never told anyone," she hissed back, planting her hands on her hips.

Riley nodded as he watched her. "Exactly; I'm not saying we should tell Mac about it, because it would kill her, especially on the day of your grandmother's funeral, but I, I just…" He shook his head. "I don't know what I'm saying. I guess I'm just crazy…for both of you."

Penny shook her head, refusing to listen to anything he had to say to her. "No. You're going to deny that you ever had anything for me, Riley Talbot, or I'll make sure that you live to regret it if you expose us to my best friend, who also happens to be MY cousin," she said in a low, warning tone.

When she went to leave the building, Riley pulled her back and crushed his lips to hers, taking quick possession with his masterful tongue and moaning when his tongue collided with hers.

Mackenzie walked out into the alley, looking all around for Penny. She and Riley hadn't returned and she was getting worried about them. She then saw the door to the abandoned building behind the Grill was open and went toward it. When she got there, she saw Riley and he was kissing someone. A closer look told her that it was Penny. Flying into a rage, Mackenzie pulled Riley off of Penny, slapping him once she had gotten him off. "What the hell did you think you were doing, Riley Talbot?"

Riley rubbed his cheek. "It's not what it looks like, Mac."

"Oh, don't give me that. I know EXACTLY what it looks like," Mackenzie said. "You were kissing my cousin! I thought you loved me, you two-timing bastard! I invested two years into you and this is how you think me?"

Penny saw how angry Mackenzie was and tried to speak. "Mac, I…"

However, Mackenzie turned on her cousin. "Shut up, Penny! I'm just as angry with you as I am with him! I can't believe you! I thought we were friends, but now I see I was wrong!" She looked back at Riley. "You know what, Riley? You two deserve each other. As of now, you and I are over!"

Before Riley could say something in his own defense, Mackenzie landed a swift kick in his groin, sending him to his feet in pain. Then, giving Penny a nasty look, Mackenzie stormed out of the building, tears streaming down her face. She didn't want to see or talk to either of them, because in her mind, they had betrayed her.

On her way back into the Grill, she was stopped by her Uncle Elijah. "Sweetheart, what's the matter?" he asked in a gentle voice when he saw the tears.

Mackenzie shook her head, the tears still streaming down her cheeks, and Elijah opened his arms to her, which she fell into as he hugged her tightly to him. "I thought I had found someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, Uncle Eli, but it turned out to be a big, fat mistake," she sobbed into his shirt.

Elijah stroked her dark hair. "Oh, sweetheart, sometimes love throws curveballs at us that we don't really want, but we have to learn to take them as we go," he advised her softly.

Mackenzie sobbed as she listened to what Elijah was saying. She still couldn't get the image of Penny and Riley kissing out of her head. She had been betrayed, and she would never forgive them, not even if they came begging on their hands and knees.

She urged herself to calm down, even though her tears were relentless. She was just about to calm down when Damon came toward them, having seen Elijah hugging Mackenzie. He didn't know what was going on, and just assumed that his daughter was still emotional following the eulogy she had given for her grandmother. Mackenzie looked over and saw her father coming, sniffing and still hugging her uncle. "Hi, Daddy," she said.

"Hi, sweetheart," he said. "You gave a great eulogy for your grandmother today. I'm sure she was listening from heaven." He saw that her eyes were a bit misty and that the tear tracks were still fresh. "Mackenzie, I know that you miss her and believe me, we do too, but…"

"That is not why she is crying, Damon," Elijah said. "She is crying because the young man she was in love with broke her heart."

"What? Riley hurt you?" Damon said. "Oh, he's not going to get away with this." He immediately went into protective father mode. "Where is he? I'd like to teach that boy a thing or two about hurting my little girl."

"He's at the abandoned building behind the Grill," Mackenzie said. "Though, I think I've already taught him a lesson that he's going to feel for a long time."

"I'm still going to give him a piece of my mind," Damon said. "I hate seeing my daughter in tears. Mackenzie, you don't deserve what he did to you. So help me, I'll kill him and make it look like an accident. And, since my family has connections in this town, no one will find his body."

Elijah scowled at him. "Damon, that's enough. I know you're protective of your daughter, but really, violence won't solve anything. What would Elena think if she knew what you're planning to do?"

"What are you planning to do?" Elena's voice asked from behind the trio. "Damon, you will be sorry if you plan anything behind my back, especially when it has to do with our daughter. I'll be damned if I allow that to happen!" She turned on her heel and headed back into the Grill with Damon immediately following her

"Elena, please give me a chance to explain," Damon said as he grabbed her elbow in a light but still firm grasp, stopping her from going any further.

"Explain, then, Damon Salvatore," she hissed as she turned around to face him.

Damon bit his lip, seeing the fire in his wife's eyes. "Mackenzie got her heart broken by Riley Talbot. She didn't elaborate, but the tears in her eyes were enough to tell me that it was bad. And you know how protective I get when it comes to my children, Mackenzie included. When I heard what he did, I wanted to kill the idiot."

In the meantime, Jeremy and Anna were sitting at a nearby table when Penny rushed past them, looking as if she were in quite a hurry. Anna nodded to her husband that she'd be the one to talk to their only daughter before departing the table, kissing her husband on the lips as she left. "Penny, sweetie, what's wrong?" Anna asked when she joined her daughter in the front of the Grill, where Penny was getting ready to get into her car.

"I ruined my relationship with Ken, Mom," she said, referring to another nickname she'd given Mackenzie when they were little. "I ruined it by being the 'boyfriend-stealer' that no one wants to have in any family." She sniffed and stopped her search for her keys to her Volkswagen Beetle as she turned to face her mom completely.

"You and…Riley were together?" Anna asked, knowing that she was right. Penny nodded, the tears still running down her cheeks.

"It was last summer, when they were on a 'break'," she told her mom. "It was only supposed to be one night, but it turned into multiple nights, and soon it turned into a summer romance. I forced myself to end it once August came, asking him to forget about me completely. But then he approached me earlier, behind the Grill, and cornered me, wanting to talk about it, even going as far as kissing me again. Mackenzie caught us and now she's not going to talk to me, ever again. I am ruined, Mom. I can't even keep my friendship with my cousin afloat and I snatched her boyfriend right out from under her nose."

Anna hugged her daughter to her. "Sweetheart, listen to me. I know that you think you ruined things right now, but Mackenzie will forgive you in time. You made a mistake, we all do. Hell, your father and I made a few ourselves when we were your age. You'll see; things will get better."

**A Few Days Later**

Vicki approached the room that the nurses had directed her to, and pushed open the door, spotting both of her children, Aubrey in the bed, and Riley on the chair next to her. "Aubrey, sweetheart, you said this was urgent. What's going on?"

"Mom, I'm dying," Aubrey said simply, finally dropping the bomb on her mother, like she'd done to her brother weeks ago.

Vicki sat on her bed and hugged her daughter. "Who else knows?"

"No one else but you and Riley," Aubrey replied.

Her mother nodded slowly as she processed what her daughter had just told her. She gestured for Aubrey to scoot over and she settled on top of the covers over her daughter's legs then put an arm around her shoulders. "Have the doctors given you any time limit?" she asked Aubrey as she held her only daughter close.

Aubrey nodded. "They said I had at least 6 months at the most," she told Vicki softly.

Vicki felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Well, we'll have to try to make your last six months as comfortable as possible."

Riley nodded in agreement as he joined his sister and his mom on the end of the bed, at his sister's feet, his hand clasping Aubrey's as they connected as a family unit. "We all will," he vowed to his little sister.

Aubrey nodded. "Thank you. This means a lot to me." She looked at Riley. "I'm sorry about what happened between you and Mac."

He shook his head. "It was a stupid mistake that I'll probably never make again, even though I know I'll still pine away for her," he told his sister quietly. "And if she comes by to see you, don't tell her that I've been here every day. I don't want her to know, just like I'm going to promise to keep it from Liam as long as possible."

"Why would you keep this from Liam?" Vicki asked suddenly.

"Because, Mom, if he knew about it, we'd get into a huge argument, and I don't want to be all stressed and something happen unexpectedly," Aubrey tells her mom quietly.

Vicki shook her head. "Aubrey, you know that boy is crazy about you. I've met his father, and believe me when I say he's inherited his romantic streak. You can't keep this from him. He's going to find out eventually.

She looked at her son. "And, Riley, Mackenzie is going to know that you've been here, whether you say anything or not. She's not stupid, you know. The Salvatore intuition is the strongest of any family in Mystic Falls."

"I know, but you didn't see how angry she was at me when she caught me with Penny," Riley said. "The less she knows about this, the better."

**Another Few Days Later**…

Aubrey was resting in the bed she'd been assigned to for the duration of her chemotherapy when she heard the door open. Her head rolled tiredly until she was looking into the red, puffy eyes of her best friend, her brother's ex-girlfriend, Mackenzie. "I just heard the news. Why didn't you tell me?" Aubrey patted the bed in front of her and Mackenzie moved around until she had settled in front of the auburn-haired Aubrey, who wrapped her arms around Mackenzie and held her.

"I had only just found out myself a few weeks ago, Mac, and they said that I don't have very long to live, only 6 months," Aubrey explained as she stroked her friend's dark hair. "You also have to promise me that you won't alert Liam to this either, because if he knew, it would devastate him, and I know how much he cares about me. If he found out, he would need a friend, and you know that I'm going to want that friend to be you. Okay? You're the only one I would trust to comfort him."

Mackenzie nodded. "Sure, Aubrey, I won't alert him. And I'll comfort him too."

"Thank you, Mac," Aubrey said. "You're a good friend." She kissed her friend on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too," Mackenzie said. "I wish there was something that could've been done to save you. I already lost my Grandma Mimi, then I catch your idiot brother cheating on me with that traitor, Penny, and now I'm going to lose you too. This sucks."

"I know, but I don't want to spend my last six months being depressed," Aubrey said. "I want to smile at least once."

"I have a brilliant beyond brilliant idea!" Mackenzie suddenly blurted out, keeping her voice soft. She pulled out her phone then snapped a photo of her and Aubrey together, saved it to her phone and then went into her Photoshop app on it. Mackenzie selected a roller-coaster photo then dragged the photo of her and Aubrey over to it and saved that one. Then she showed it to Aubrey, who smiled for the first time in weeks, and cried a little at the sight.

"That's perfect, Mac. It's so us," she told her friend quietly.

Mackenzie smiled as well. "I know, right? And by making you smile, I think I made myself feel better as well."

However, Mackenzie didn't feel better. The betrayal still stung, and seeing Penny all the time in the dorm room didn't make things any easier. She was tempted to do what her father did when he was in high school: go out, get drunk and have meaningless, dirty revenge sex. While that might be a temporary solution, at least it would sort of be like giving Riley the middle finger.

**Later That Night**

Mackenzie arrived at Junction Function, owned by some friends who sponsored the advertisement of her dance studio. She greeted the bouncer with a smile and he waved her on through before she spotted Jacques at the bar, waving to him and claiming an empty booth. Mackenzie smiled when Jacques left the female bartender he was obviously training to the training of his other frequent bartender, Alexander, and settled into the booth next to her, kissing both of her cheeks then hugging her fiercely. "Mackenzie, you look broken-hearted. What is the matter?" Jacques asked in his flawless French accent.

"I am broken-hearted, Jacques. The boy that I thought I loved was cheating on me, with my own cousin," she replied. He hugged her some more and she was grateful to have him and his boyfriend/partner Giovanni in her life; they were her main supporters, both when it came to her first love of dancing and her second of just enjoying a night out.

Mackenzie then saw a guy sitting at the bar and said to Jacques, "Who's that?"

Jacques looked over at the bar and then looked back at Mackenzie. "That's Luke, Luke Garrison. He comes in here from time to time."

"Oh, yeah, is that so?" Mackenzie said. "Does he have a girlfriend or is he single?"

Jacques detected a seductive tone in her voice. "Mackenzie, don't. I know you're broken-hearted about you boyfriend, but the last thing you want to do is get mixed up with Luke Garrison. He has a bad reputation, a reputation that you don't want to have."

"Maybe I do, Jacques," Mackenzie said. "I want to show Riley Talbot that I'm through crying over him."

She got up from the booth and went over to the bar, where Luke had just ordered a beer. She found an empty stool next to him and sat down, letting her finger trace itself down her arm. "Hey there, hot stuff."

Luke looked up at her. "Hey, yourself; I thought your friend over there told you not to get mixed up with me?"

"So what's the big deal about that? I'm a big girl, I can handle myself." Mackenzie smirked evilly as she said that.

Luke smiled, obviously liking her moxie. Something told him that she was tough, and he liked tough girls. Mackenzie heard the DJ playing a rather raunchy number and she went toward the dance floor, taking off her leather jacket as she went. Luke went after her and grabbed her hand, pulling her to him as they danced, their hearts pounding in time to the music.

On a particular stanza of the song, Mackenzie rubbed her ass against his erection, causing him to tighten his grip on her trim waist. "You need someone to teach you a lesson, young lady," he growled in her ear.

"Are you going to be the one to do that?" she asked in a husky voice back.

Luke licked his lips. "Since there's no one else offering, I suppose I am. What's your name, baby?"

"I'm Mackenzie, Mackenzie Salvatore."

"Well then, Mackenzie Salvatore, I'm going to make sure you have the time of your life tonight," Luke said, "Does that sound like a plan?"

Mackenzie licked her lips. "That does, definitely. Do you live nearby?"

Luke nodded. "I do. My apartment is two blocks down from here."

That being said, he kissed her roughly and after he pulled back, he took her hand and after Mackenzie grabbed her jacket with her free hand, they walked out of the club, Jacques watching from his place at the booth. He had seen everything unfolding between Mackenzie and Luke and hoped that Mackenzie wasn't getting in over her head.

**Meanwhile**…

Tanya approached the front door to the apartment she and her mother had been sharing since, well, forever. It had always just been the two of them, even though Tanya saw her dad a lot too, in his new home, with his latest girlfriend, Meghan. Tanya only tolerated the redhead because she had connections to some big-time names in the entertainment industry.

Tanya was about to use the spare key Tatia gave her when she thought she saw Mackenzie going by her, holding hands with a strange guy. That's funny; wasn't she with Riley? Who was this guy that she was with? He looked like he was older, possibly five to ten years older, and although he seemed handsome, he didn't appear to be the type of guy Mackenzie would go for.

Deciding that it was none of her business, Tanya used the spare key and opened the door. Tatia saw her daughter walking in and smiled at her. "There's my precious angel," she said. "I've missed you since you left for college."

"You and me both, Mother," Tanya said. "Say, uh, do we have any new neighbors that have a son who dresses like a biker?"

"Not to my knowledge," Tatia said. "Why?"

"It's just that I saw my friend, Mackenzie, walking by and she was holding the hand of a guy who looked like he could very well be a member of Hell's Angels," Tanya said. "I didn't know what to make of it, especially since she doesn't date guys like that. She's dating Riley Talbot, or at least, I think she's dating Riley Talbot. I haven't spoken to her since before she went to Mystic Falls for her grandmother's funeral."

**Across the Hall**

Mackenzie got a glance around the small apartment that belonged to Luke as he searched for some wine and cookies. "Are you sure that you don't want any cookies?" he asked as he rummaged through the high cabinet above and to the left of his fridge.

"No, I'm not really that hungry," she replied in a low voice. He nodded in acknowledge to her statement before picking up the glasses of wine he'd poured and handing one to her, noticing the sad look in her eyes but not commenting on it.

She accepted the glass then looked up into his green eyes, feeling a rush of heat travel downward and hit her where she least expected it to, gasping softly when it did. Taking his glass and setting it aside, she did the same with hers as her arms danced up his chest to pull him down and fuse their mouths together. Luke took his time, drawing the kiss out as their tongues collided and they both moaned as he backed them toward the bed, clothes getting removed from their upper bodies, lowering her onto the cool covers, their lips still connected intimately.

Mackenzie moaned against Luke's mouth as their tongues danced against each other and felt his hands running up and down her small body. She was enjoying this, even though she knew she shouldn't. She told herself that Luke was just a distraction for her, and that tonight wasn't going to mean anything. They were only going to be together for the sole purpose of getting revenge against Riley, nothing more. She made a mental note to leave in the morning, with just a note thanking Luke for a good time.

Luke left her lips to kiss her neck and both of her breasts, licking the tender, aching nipples with his tongue. Mackenzie arched her back and let out a scream of pleasure. Luke heard her scream and smiled against the nipple he was licking, continuing to kiss down until he reached her belly button, after which he undid the button and zipper on her skirt, pulling it down, along with her fishnet stockings and panties, feeling himself getting hard at the sight of her. She was just as beautiful naked as she was fully clothed. "You're beautiful," he said as he kissed her thigh. "I'll bet you have guys lined up to be with you, huh?"

Mackenzie shivered at his words. "Luke, please…" Her voice was a soft, strangled plea as she looked at him.

"Please what, baby?" Luke said. "Tell me what you want."

"Don't tease me," Mackenzie said. "I don't like being teased. Just…take me and get it over with."

Luke nodded. "As you command, my love," he said in a low voice.

That being said, he removed his jeans and boxers before placing her hands above her head, kissing her roughly and driving himself into her, thrusting hard and fast and deep against her as Mackenzie wrapped her legs around his waist, gyrating her hips against him, keeping in sync with him. In that moment, everything seemed to melt away and it was just her and Luke. No Riley, no sting of betrayal, nothing.

**The Next Morning**…

As she had promised herself, Mackenzie slipped from Luke's loose embrace, keeping quiet as she tiptoed around the room to pick up her clothes, grabbing his shirt and boxers as a last resort, putting them on and carrying her clothes in a bundle as she quickly departed the apartment, startled at the familiar face she encountered once she was outside. "Tanya, I didn't know that you lived here!" she hissed at her dark-haired friend.

Tanya nodded her head, giving Mackenzie a strange look. "I do. But you are obviously trying to sneak out, aren't you?" she asked with a smirk. She heard her mother's voice from inside the apartment through the slightly ajar door. "It's just a friend, Mom. Go back to sleep!" Tanya turned back to Mackenzie. "I can get you out of here in a quicker way. I'll distract him and you can depart through the fire escape." She pointed to the window that was nestled between the two apartments and Mackenzie hurriedly opened it, while Tanya helped her climb out onto the stairs.

Luke stirred as Tanya was helping Mackenzie out of the window, groaning as he said, "Mackenzie?"

Tanya, as she had promised, went into his room and climbed into the bed, straddling him. "Mackenzie's gone, sweet thing. How about you play with me instead?" Not giving him a chance to reply, she kissed him roughly, grabbing his hands and placing them above his head. Not sure what to make of it, Luke returned her kiss, rolling her onto her back as the kisses got more persistent.

Outside, Mackenzie was going as fast as her legs would allow down the fire escape. She knew that she was probably going to catch hell from her parents if they happened to call, but at this point, she didn't care. All she really cared about was escaping and hoping that Tanya could keep Luke distracted. It was a pit that it was only a one-night stand, because he was a cutie, never mind the age difference between them. However, she couldn't allow herself to think that way. He distracted her and that was all that she wanted from him.

**Two Hours Later**

She drove all the way to Mystic Falls, where she decided that instead of going to her parents, she would get advice from her Uncle Elijah on what to do. He wouldn't have been her first choice, but he was the one who did comfort her after Miranda's funeral, and he was great with stuff like this, having been with Aunt Katherine long enough.

Mackenzie arrived at Elijah and Katherine's house and knocked at the door. She didn't have to wait too long because Elijah answered after a few minutes. "Mackenzie? Sweetheart, what are you doing here?"

"Hi, Uncle Eli, I'm hoping you could give me some advice of the heart," she said with a sad smile. He nodded quickly and stepped back, sweeping his arm for her to come in, closing the door behind her.

"This is about Riley, isn't it?" he asked once they were sitting on the couch in the study after he closed the doors to it as well to give them more privacy. Katherine had been married to him long enough to know that, when they were shut, he was in an important meeting or a conference call.

Mackenzie bit her lip. "Uncle Eli, I had revenge sex with a guy I met at my friend's bar. I was mad at Riley and I wanted forget him."

"Revenge sex?" Elijah said. "You mean like your father used to do?"

Mackenzie nodded. "Yes. I didn't want to tell him or Mom, so I came to you."

Elijah nodded, understanding that she needed a different adult's perspective when it came to love. "Before I met your Aunt Katherine, I was very unhappily engaged to a woman that my mother arranged the marriage with. I pleaded and begged and actually got down on my knees for her to break the contract, but she said it was for my own good. Finally, Father interfered and got it severed and I remember that Mother was furious with him for doing it," he told her. "I explained to Greta that I wasn't ready to be her husband, and that's when she told me that she was in love with another woman." He chuckled. "I felt a great weight had been lifted off of my shoulders as soon as she told me that, because it meant that I was free to love without my mother looming over my shoulder."

Mackenzie nodded before running a hand through her hair. "I'm so stupid."

Elijah pulled her to him in a hug. "Don't ever say that about yourself, sweetheart. You're not stupid, far from it. You're human, and you made a mistake."

**Author's Note:** That took a lot more out of me than I thought. I hope that you all enjoyed reading it and will come back for Chapter 4!


	4. Chapter 4

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", drama unfolds as Mackenzie catches Penny and Riley together, and then, after visiting Aubrey in the hospital, she meets Luke, whom she uses for revenge sex._**

**Chapter Four**

**Damon & Elena's House – That Afternoon**…

After Mackenzie had gone back to South Carolina, Elijah decided to talk to Damon and Elena about what had been going on. He knew that Mackenzie would probably think he was going behind her back, but he couldn't keep this from them. Once he arrived at the house, he went up to the front door and knocked. A few minutes later, Damon opened the door to see his wife's brother-in-law standing there. "Elijah? What's going on?"

"Damon, I need to speak to you and Elena right away," he replied. "It's about Mackenzie."

At the mention of his eldest daughter's name, Damon let Elijah in and both men headed to the kitchen, where Elena was pouring some tea. She saw her brother-in-law and immediately got curious. "Elijah, what a surprise," she said. "I didn't know you were coming over." Curiously, she added, "Does Katherine know you're here?"

"Not exactly; I told her that I needed to run an errand that I'd be back later," Elijah said. "I know, I know, I don't normally lie to my wife, but I couldn't risk her knowing about this." He sighed. "Mackenzie came to see me this morning."

"Mackenzie?" Elena said. "Oh my God, is she okay?"

"She's fine, but she was a bit upset," Elijah said. "Remember Riley Talbot, the boy who broke her heart at your mother's funeral?"

"Yes, we remember him quite well," Damon said. "In fact, I wanted to kill him for hurting her. I still do, come to think of it." He raised a curious eyebrow. "Why? What happened?"

"Mackenzie had revenge sex with a man she picked up at a bar owned by a friend of hers."

Elena blinked. "Wait, revenge sex?" She looked at Damon. "Isn't that what you used to do in high school, Damon?"

"Yes, it was," Damon said. "Not one of my best moments from that time, but I used sex as a means of burning a lot of adolescent steam." He sighed. "Apparently, our daughter has done the exact same thing, as Elijah has just pointed out."

"I don't understand," Elena said. "Why didn't Mackenzie come to us? We could've helped her."

"She didn't want to tell you what she did, so she came to me," Elijah said. "Elena, your daughter is very confused right now. She was betrayed by the boy she thought she loved, and therefore, she's resorted to doing things she's not proud of."

**Mystic Falls, Virginia**

Sage smiled up at her husband as he carried their grandson Cooper into the room. "Nana, look at what I made!" Cooper said excitedly as he showed her the picture in his hands.

"That is a beautiful picture, Cooper. Nana is very proud of you," Sage said as she kissed him soundly on the cheek, blowing a raspberry immediately after that. He giggled then wiggled out of Finn's arms, climbing onto the bed with Sage and curling up to her.

Finn joined them on the other side, settling his arms behind his head as he watched them play together. He had to admit, when Ruby had first told them she was expecting, it meant she would have a grandchild that he and Sage could spoil, and then Cooper arrived into their lives and they gave him lots of love, especially after the accident, when Ruby lost her sight and her husband abandoned them, refusing to live with a "blind" woman.

Finn smiled as he watched his wife and grandson. Although it was a shame that Ruby's husband left her after the accident that robbed her of her sight, the good thing that came from it was that Cooper still had his mother and his grandparents, as well as his aunt and uncles, and even his great-grandparents.

Sage looked from playing with Cooper and saw the smile on Finn's face. "And what is that smile for, Mr. Mikaelson?"

"That smile is for you, Mrs. Mikaelson," he replied. "It's also for our Ruby and little Cooper."

She giggled, feeling like a young woman again as she moved closer to bestow a soft, quick kiss on his lips before pulling back when Cooper brought his hands up to their collarbones and pushed them away from each other. "No kissin', kissin' is bad!" he told them both in admonishing tone. Finn and Sage looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"Who told you that, Cooper Finnegan?" Sage asked as she turned her attention to her grandson.

"My girl friend did, she said that kissin' is bad for people, especially adults," he replied.

"Mum, Dad? Can someone come and help me?" their daughter's voice called from the other room. Finn quickly departed the bed and went to help his daughter, following her voice into the kitchen.

"Hi, sweetheart," he greeted her as he brought her hand up to his cheek and watched as she smiled that sweet smile that matched Sage's.

"Hi there," she replied. "I have some groceries in the car. Can you help me with unloading them?" Finn nodded before dropping her hand and leaving through the garage door to go to her minivan, opening the back with ease and grabbing as many bags as he could handle, carrying them back in the same way he'd come from.

Ruby smiled at her father as he returned with the groceries. "Thank you so much, Dad."

Finn returned her smile as he placed the bags on the table. "You know I'd do anything for you, Ruby Red."

Ruby giggled at the nickname he'd given to her when she was little, just adding her name to the nickname her mother had earned from him. "You and Mum have been great ever since Caleb left us, and I couldn't have asked for better parents than you two," she told him. Finn looked down to see the tears at the corners of her eyes and he pulled her to him, resting his chin on top of her head of dark auburn hair, stroking the curls she'd gotten from Sage.

"Caleb was a fool to leave you the way he did. You didn't deserve his abandonment, and you've done a great job raising that precious little boy in the other room by yourself," he told her as he kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Daddy," Ruby replied and Finn felt his breath hitch at the word 'Daddy'. She had stopped calling him that when she turned 13 years old, but just to hear it made his heart swell with pride for the way he'd raised her; he'd taught her to be her own person and here she was, her own person, with a little boy and a failed marriage under her belt.

"I love you too, Ruby Cornelia Mikaelson Steward," he replied, hugging her tighter to him.

"Actually, Dad, I've been thinking and I want to go back to my maiden name," Ruby said. "Now that Caleb is gone, I see no reason to use my married name anymore."

Finn nodded. "I had a feeling you would. Your grandfather can help with that. He's always helped me out whenever I needed him."

"Good, because I don't want to have Caleb's name attached to mine. It'll just remind me too much of the past."

He nodded again before hearing his cell phone ringing in his pocket, reaching down to his pocket and pulling it out, seeing that it was Henrik calling him. "Henrik, what can I do for you, brother?"

"I was wondering if Ruby had any plans for later, because Francesca is on her way to pick her up for a late lunch and she's going to take her shopping," his youngest brother said through the phone.

"She doesn't that I know of, but I'll let her know," Finn said before lowering the phone away from his ear. "Ruby Red, how do you feel about a late lunch with your Aunt Francesca?"

"I feel like I could eat a horse," she said with a soft laugh and Finn chuckled before bringing the phone back to his ear.

"Did you hear that, brother? She'll be ready soon," he said then ended the call. "Come on, my precious red Ruby; let's go find you something to wear."

"No offense, Dad, but I would much rather have mom help me, okay?" she said and Finn nodded in understanding before hearing his wife enter the room.

"Sage, sweetheart, Henrik just invited, well, technically, it was Francesca's invitation, our daughter out to a late lunch and for them to go shopping afterward," Finn mentioned with a smile.

"Come on, Ruby, I'll help you pick something out to wear," Sage said, handing Cooper off to his grandpa and putting her arm around her daughter's shoulder to help her upstairs.

Ruby smiled. "Thank you, Mum." She kissed her father's cheek and went to get dressed for her late lunch with Francesca.

Finn watched them go then took Cooper around the house, carrying him airplane-style and making the necessary noises that needed to come with it.

**Upstairs**

Sage guided Ruby into her room and helped her sit down on the bed before she went over to her daughter's closet to help her with some simple clothes. "So, I'm thinking the red silk blouse, or maybe the green one, with a pair of jeans," Sage said as she thumbed through Ruby's closet. "What do you think, sweetheart?"

"I think the green one will work. I don't want to be too fancy for Aunt Fancy," she replied with a smile.

Sage nodded. "Good point. This is a casual thing."

She sighed as she gave the blouse to Ruby, which her daughter noticed, or rather, heard. "Are you okay, Mum?"

"I'm all right," her mother replied. "I'm remembering when you were Cooper's age and how cute you were."

Ruby sighed as well. "Mum, do you think I'm a good mum?" she asked Sage. She wanted her mother to be honest with her.

Sage turned at the sound of the soft question that came from her daughter's lips. "Why would you think that you're not a good mom?" Sage asked Ruby as she sat down next to her.

"Well, I heard from Caleb's attorneys this week, and he's fighting me for custody. He says that I'm not a good mother, and I just wanted to sure someone else thought that I was before I had my say in it," Ruby told her mother. Sage grew angry at her former son in law; he shouldn't be doing this to her daughter, not when she was not able to see.

"We'll get Granddad to help out. Your father has told me that he's ruthless when it comes to the courtroom," Sage told Ruby as she hugged her gently.

Ruby nodded. "I'd like that. Dad is going to talk to him to see about helping me change my name back to my maiden name anyway, so this will be another thing he can help me with."

Sage nodded again before helping her daughter stand up so she could lift her scrub top over her head then she slipped the green silk blouse in its place. "We'll go by there and take Cooper with us so you wouldn't have to worry about him," she told her daughter as Ruby replaced her scrub pants with her jeans without any help from Sage.

"Thanks, Mum," Ruby said as she hugged her mom one more time before the redhead – with a few gray hairs scattered in it – helped her go back downstairs, where Francesca was waiting patiently.

"Hi, sweetheart," Francesca, often called Fancy by her husband and his family, greeted Ruby with a kiss on the cheek before taking her arm and guiding her outside to the car she had warming up.

Ruby smiled at her aunt once they were in the car. "I'm glad you invited me out, Aunt Fancy. I needed it."

"It was my pleasure, Ruby," her aunt replied. "It's been a while since the last time we hung out, so I told your Uncle Henrik to extend the invitation."

**Mikaelson Mansion – Half an Hour Later**

Sage walked in front of Finn as he carried Cooper up to his family's former home, which Henrik and Francesca now resided in with Mikael and Eleanor. "Do you think he'll take her case once he hears about it?" Sage asked her husband as they waited in the foyer/front entryway.

Finn nodded as he set Cooper down on the small couch they had just outside his father's office in the front of the mansion. "He'll do it, I'm sure of it," he said. He pulled Sage close to him and gave her a soft, lingering kiss, moaning a little when her tongue darted out and played with his.

**Club Salvatore – That Same Moment**…

Stefan was in his office, looking over the ledger, impressed by the profits from the last month, when he heard the door open and two women walked in. Stefan looked up and scowled curiously at them. "May I help you ladies?"

The first woman had long black hair and blue eyes like Damon spoke first. "That's a strange question to be asking family, isn't it?"

"Family?" Stefan was confused.

"Yes, we're your sisters. Half sisters, actually," the first woman replied. "I'm Natalia." She pointed at the other woman, who had long dark blonde hair and green eyes like Stefan. "That's Arietta. We have the same father."

"That's not news to me," Stefan said. "I already know that Dad was married to another woman while married to my mother. But, why show up? What do you want anyway? If you want money, you're not getting any."

Arietta shook her head. "We don't want money, Stefan. We just want to fulfill Daddy's dying wish and make amends with out little brothers."

"Before I agree to that, I'm going to call my brother Damon and tell him that you're here, and we'll talk once he comes to Mystic Falls," Stefan said before picking up his phone and dialing the number for Damon.

"This is Damon's phone, Elena speaking," his sister in law's chipper voice said when the phone call was answered.

"Elena, this is Stefan. Is Damon where I can talk to him?" Stefan asked, his hand running down his face tiredly.

"Sure, I'll give him the phone now," Elena replied as she held out the phone to Damon, who took it but not before giving her a curious look. "He said he wanted to talk to you. I don't know what about."

Damon nodded and brought the phone up to his ear. "Hey, brother, what's going on?"

Stefan kept his eyes on Natalia and Arietta before he said, "You know how Dad was already married to another woman while he was married to Mom?"

"Yeah, that's why Mom was having him investigated," Damon said. "Why, what does that old bastard want now?"

"Actually, these two women walked into the office just now, saying they're our half sisters. Their names are Natalia and Arietta," Stefan said. "According to them, they want to fulfill Dad's dying wish and make amends with us, or some crap like that."

"And what did you tell them?" Damon's tone was a mixture of both skepticism and curiosity. After all, they didn't know these women from Eve, so there was no telling what they wanted.

"I didn't agree to anything yet," Stefan said. "I told them that I'd call you and that we'd talk more when you come to Mystic Falls."

"Good," Damon said. "I want to meet these women for myself, see what they're all about. Given how Dad literally screwed us over the night he walked out on Mom, I have no reason to trust them, and neither should you."

"I don't trust them, not one bit," Stefan said. "Hell, if I wasn't a gentleman, I'd kick them out."

Damon nodded. "Tell them I'll meet with them. Perhaps they can tell me just why Dad wanted them to seek us out."

"I'll definitely tell them. See you soon, brother." He hung up and said, "Damon said that he wants to meet with you, see if what you're saying is legit."

Natalia nodded. "I can understand his skepticism, especially after what happened between him and Daddy."

"Stefan, I saw these people coming back here and I wanted to see what was going on," Rebekah said as she appeared in the doorway, their granddaughter Landry in her arms. Their son Vincent had gotten married almost 5 years earlier, and he and wife Maggie had welcomed Landry Eleanor Salvatore two years later. "Hello. I'm Rebekah Salvatore, Stefan's wife."

"I'm Natalia Salvatore, Stefan's half-sister. And this is Arietta, my sister, Stefan's other half-sister," Natalia said as she shook the blonde woman's hand courteously.

"It's nice to meet you both. Stefan, could you be a dear and keep an eye on Landry for a little bit. I've got customers to take care of, and she's driving them all crazy," Rebekah said to Stefan, who nodded and she set Landry down, watching as she ran around the desk and into her grandfather's open arms.

Stefan eyed Natalia and Arietta carefully as he held Landry. He still didn't trust them, even if they were going to explain themselves further when Damon came. "Papi, can we play checkers?" Landry asked as she poked Stefan's cheek to get his attention.

"Sure, sweetie, why don't you go get it out of the storage closet and we'll set it up on the desk?" he asked, putting her down and alternating between keeping an eye on her and the two women that still stood in the office.

**Two Hours Later**

Damon arrived in his brother and Rebekah's club, and nodded in acknowledgement to his sister in law, who pointed toward the upstairs office. Damon nodded again and headed in that direction, finding the door partially open. "Stefan, I'm here," he called out before hearing his brother's voice beckon him inside.

Stefan heard Damon's voice outside the door and said, "Come on in, Damon."

Damon walked into the office and saw Stefan at his desk, as well as the two women he had mentioned on the phone. "I take it that these are the half-sisters that we just found out about?"

Natalia nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry that we had to spring the news on you like this."

"We weren't sure if you would've agreed to speak on the phone, so we came in person," Arietta said. "You see, Father passed away about a month ago and before he died, he told us to meet you and Stefan, and possibly make amends. As Talia said, we don't want any money, just a chance to get to know the brothers we never knew."

"Really?" Damon said. "Well, we don't know you, so how do we know that you two aren't just some women that were hired to pose as our sisters? As far as we know, our father never had any other children aside from me and Stefan. We know that he was married to another woman while he was married to our mother. It's only just now that you two came into the picture?" He pulled his shirt collar down and showed Natalia and Arietta the scar on his neck. "Did dear old Dad ever tell you how he gave me this? I've had this since I was eight years old, when I tried to prevent him from walking out on my mother. I could've died that night and the bastard didn't even bat so much as an eyelash."

Natalia and Arietta looked at the scar and then at each other before Arietta said, "I'm so sorry, Damon."

"Why are you sorry?" Damon asked. "You're not the one who has to bear a scar on your neck." He raised an eyebrow. "I'm willing to bet that he treated you a hell of a lot better than he treated us."

"Daddy didn't give as much luxuries as he must have given you," Natalia confessed. "We didn't have much, and we just worked our way to the top of our game. We're both successful in business."

Stefan listened to Natalia's confession and said, "We didn't get that many luxuries either, to be honest. Even though we had the boardinghouse, we still struggled a bit. And I think we have business in common. In case you didn't notice when you walked in here, I own this club with Rebekah. Damon has a photography business with my brother-in-law, Klaus, who now has an art gallery in New York and his friend, Matt, who now has a New York version of the Mystic Grill."

"Wow, that's amazing," Arietta said. "I'm a lawyer and Talia is a banker. She also sings on the side."

Natalia blushed. "Etta, you promised!" She usually didn't use her sister's nickname unless it was necessary, like right now.

Damon and Stefan just exchanged a smile. They were similar in the way they'd argued growing up, except they used nicknames for each other, and they hardly ever did that. Stefan turned his attention back to Landry when she yawned rather big, and picked her up in his arms, nestling her into the crook of his shoulder as he rubbed her back. He enjoyed the time he got to spend with her, and he knew Rebekah did too. Standing up, Stefan carried her toward the door adjacent to the office and placed her gently on the bed, covering her with the blanket that lay at the foot of the bed.

Natalia watched as Stefan put the little girl down for a nap and smiled. "She's beautiful. Whose daughter is she?"

"She's my nephew, Vincent's daughter," Damon said. "And you're right, she is beautiful. Stefan dotes on her like you wouldn't believe. I'm not a grandfather yet, because my kids aren't old enough. My youngest is sixteen, and my oldest is twenty, so there's still time."

"And how many children do you have between you?" Arietta asked after Stefan returned to the doorway, remaining there in case Landry woke up.

"Let's see, Elena and I have five, and Stefan and Rebekah had 3, so eight between us," Damon replied as he counted on his fingers. "Elena and I have Mackenzie, Damian, Dominic and Juliet, and 16 year old Katie, and Stefan and Rebekah have Dante, Alexis and Vincent."

Stefan nodded as he listened from his place at the door. "We did try for a fourth, but Rebekah miscarried in the first trimester and was so depressed that we decided that if we were destined to have just three, then so be it."

"The ones you do have sound remarkable," Natalia said. "And I agree with Arietta, your granddaughter is very precious."

"We're very proud of her," Rebekah said from the doorway and Stefan smiled at his wife as she came over to him, her arms settling around his still-lean waist. He kissed the top of her head and held her close. "Vincent and Maggie just called; they're on their way to pick her up."

Stefan nodded as he looked down lovingly into her eyes. "She's resting until they get here," he said, gesturing over his shoulder to Landry on the bed.

Damon smiled at his brother and sister-in-law and then looked at Natalia and Arietta. "Do you ladies have any special men in your lives?"

Natalia raised an eyebrow. "Does this mean you trust us now?"

"Let's just say I'm curious," Damon said. "So, are you going to answer my question or am I to assume that this is a secret that only you two share among yourselves?"

"Talia's engaged," Arietta said, answering the question for her sister. "His name is Erik Williams, who, oddly enough, started out as a client."

Natalia glared at Arietta. "Etta, I thought you weren't going to embarrass me? You don't see me mentioning Jake, do you?"

"Jake?" Damon said. "Who's Jake?"

"Jake Matthews, Etta's boyfriend," Natalia said. "She's been dating him for about two years now."

Arietta groaned and ran a hand down her face then pulled out her cell phone when it began going off in her pocket. "Excuse me, I need to take this, its important business for the bank," she said before departing the office. "I asked you not to call me here!" That was spoken in a hiss as she tried not to grind her teeth together.

On the other end, Luke Garrison chuckles. "On the contrary, Etta, you may have said that, but I have important things to discuss," he told her in a low voice. "Did you get a chance to talk to Salvatore?"

"Yes, but he's only mentioned her once," Arietta told him. "She's the eldest of their children, so you better not screw this up, Luke, or I'll make sure you live to regret it." With that said, she ended the phone call and went back to the office.

Damon raised an eyebrow as Arietta walked back into the office. He had a feeling that something was up, judging by the look on her face, but he didn't say a word to Stefan about it, not with Rebekah and Natalia still here, and especially not with little Landry in the other room. He took a piece of paper and wrote: _"I have a funny feeling that something may be up. Meet me outside."_ He then folded the paper and discreetly put the paper into his brother's pocket before walking out of the office.

Stefan had also seen the strange look that Arietta had on her face, and when Damon placed the piece of paper in his pocket, he quickly kissed his wife on the lips. "I'll be right back," he told her after reading the note and joining his brother out in the alleyway behind the club. "Something isn't right. I'm guessing that you sense it is too?"

"Yes! She's working with someone, and Natalia sounds more like the legit half-sister then Arietta does. I'm going to guess that Arietta is playing Natalia, and that the real Arietta is still out there, wondering where Natalia is," Damon told Stefan with a worried expression in his eyes.

"I think we should call Lexi before we go into any drastic measures," Stefan said before pulling out his phone.

"Bonjour to you," Lexi's voice sounded through the phone. "You've reached Alexia. How may I be of service?"

"Lexi, this is Stefan; can you do a favor for me and look someone up?" Stefan asked her. She was the most reliable source he could trust when it came to finding people and faces.

"Sure, Stefan," Lexi said. "Who do you want me to look up?"

"A woman is here and claims to be our half-sister," Stefan said. "She says her name is Arietta Salvatore, but Damon and I both think that she's working with someone. If you could look her up, we would appreciate it."

"No problem," Lexi said. "I'll get right on it."

"Thanks, Lexi," Stefan said. "Tell Kol we said hi." He hung up and looked at Damon. "She's going to look into it."

Damon nodded. "What should we do in the meantime?"

"Don't let Arietta know that we're suspicious of her," Stefan said. "If she knows we're onto her, she could bolt. So, until Lexi can find any information, we pretend that nothing is wrong."

Damon nodded again. "I'll tell Elena that I'll be sticking around here for a few days, if you're okay with that," he told his brother, who nodded and put an arm around Damon's shoulders and they walked back into the club together.

When they got inside, they were instantly pushed back outside by Rebekah. "I don't know what's going on, but you're not leaving me out of it," she demanded in a cruel, low voice. Stefan gulped and shut the door behind her.

"Are you prepared for the truth, Rebel?" he asked her, giving her the nickname his brother-in-laws had once told him they'd called her growing up.

"First of all, you don't get to call me Rebel, and second of all, I know that something is up, so you better tell me what it is, and you better tell me now!" she hissed, planting her hands firmly on her hips.

Stefan looked at Damon. "We can't leave her out of this, Damon. She has to know."

Damon nodded. "Definitely; it might be good to have another ally."

Stefan looked at his wife. "Bekah, I think that we might have a con artist among us. You know the woman who calls herself Arietta Salvatore? Well, Damon and I have a feeling that she's playing us, so we called Lexi and told her to look up information."

"So you think Arietta is a con artist?" Rebekah said. "Are you sure? What if your hunch is wrong?"

"We don't know if it's wrong, or if it's right," Stefan said. "We do know that Arietta Salvatore may not be who claims she is. She's working with someone, someone who is looking to destroy the family."

Rebekah looked at her husband and then at her brother-in-law. "If what you're telling me is true, then you're going to need me. I can keep an eye on Arietta while Lexi is doing her investigation." Curiously, she added, "What about Natalia? Is she also a con artist?"

"No, she seems to be more legit," Damon said. "In fact, I think Arietta is playing her too, and that her real sister is out there, looking for her."

The blonde British woman was about to respond when gunshots sounded muffled from inside the club. They all quickly ran back in, one after another, and finding the club in total chaos. "Oh my God, Landry," Rebekah breathed when she saw the little girl at the top of the stairs, struggling against Arietta's hold on her. "Well, do something; don't just stand there!"

Stefan and Damon quickly rushed to the toddler's aide, cornering the woman who had been claiming to be their half-sister. "Take one more step, and she dies," she threatened in a low growl.

"Please, she's just an innocent little girl," Stefan told her. "I'll make you a trade. You can take any of the patrons in the club, but Landry has to stay behind."

Arietta scowled at Stefan. "What makes you think I want to trade?"

"Because you don't want to hurt a little girl," he ground out. Stefan was sweating profusely now. He didn't want his granddaughter to get shot.

She scoffed. "Oh, please, I think Landry would make a great young con artist, what do you think?" she said before standing up and tossing the toddler over her shoulder, keeping her gun aimed at Stefan and Damon. "If you follow me, I shoot her, and you'll never see her again, got it?"

They both nodded and waited until she was outside before counting silently on their fingers, looking at each other as they did that, a matching smirk on each of their faces when they heard her screeching tires come to a halt, and the sirens that blared outside.

Arietta bit back a curse as she saw the cops. Damn those Salvatore boys and their cunning ways! They were dead if she ever got out of this. She set Landry down and allowed the cops to take her gun away from her before cuffing her wrists in a non-gentle manner then pushing her into the back of the first squad car.

**Author's Note:** Another long chapter for y'all to enjoy leisurely, so enjoy it!


	5. Chapter 5

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Elijah tells Damon and Elena about Mackenzie's 'revenge sex' night, and Stefan and Damon both meet their half-sisters, one of which turns out to be a fraud._**

**Chapter Five**

**Andrea and Mac's Dorm Room – Two Months Later**…

Mackenzie moved back away from the toilet and weakly reached for the rag that was at the edge of the counter, wiping away the bile from her chapped lips. She had run into the toilet stalls part of the dorm's shared bathroom area before she could climb into her shower to get ready for the day and threw up the food she'd thought she could hold down the day before, but it didn't quite settle.

Andrea heard Mackenzie throwing up and, concerned for her, knocked on the door. "Mac, are you okay in there? You sound like you were hacking up a hairball or something."

Mackenzie groaned as she replied, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little sick, that's all."

However, Andrea didn't quite believe her and opened the door, finding her friend still on the floor. "You call that a little sick? Mac, you look terrible. Maybe you shouldn't go to class today if you look like that."

Her friend and roommate looked up at Andrea. "What about you? You must have the same thing, but you haven't complained at all. What's your secret?" Mackenzie asked as she finished wiping away the bile around her lips.

"Secret," Andrea replied mysteriously. "I just learn to stay away from foods that won't make me sick and keep myself healthy, so I think you should do the same."

Andrea then gave her friend a quizzical look. "All right, Mac, I know something's up and I want to know what it is."

"What are you talking about?" Mackenzie said. "Nothing is up, Andrea."

"Oh, really, why don't you look me in the eyes and say that?" Andrea said. "Then why did I hear from Tanya that you were in her apartment building? Explain that, Mac."

Mackenzie bit her lip. She wanted to try and lie her way out of it, but she knew Andrea didn't believe a word she had been saying so far, so what was the point in lying any more than she already was? "Okay, yes, I was at Tanya's building," Mackenzie said. "You see, after my Grandma Mimi's funeral, I caught Riley and Penny making out in a building across from the Mystic Grill. I was livid, Andrea, so livid that I told them that I never wanted to see either of them again. Then, after we got back, I went to Jacques' bar because I wanted to meet a guy and have meaningless, dirty revenge sex, like my dad did when he was in high school. So, while I was there, I met this guy named Luke Garrison and after we danced a little, we went back to his place and…"

"You had revenge sex with a guy you picked up at Jacques' bar?" Andrea said. "Mac, I can't believe you would stoop that low. I know Riley made a mistake, but that's no excuse to have sex with a random guy." Her eyes widened. "Oh crap, I think I know what's going on here. Mackenzie Veronica Salvatore, you're pregnant."

Mackenzie growled. She had never been called by her full name since the time her mother caught her sneaking out of the house when she was Katie's age. However, her growl quickly changed to a groan, knowing that Andrea was probably right about her being pregnant. Her blue eyes then bulged as she imagined her parents' reaction to the news when she told them. Damon would probably threaten to castrate the guy who knocked up his little girl, which would be tame compared to what Elena would do. "What am I going to tell my parents?" she said in a whisper, her eyes holding a pleading tone to them as she looked up at Andrea.

"I would just tell them the truth, Mackenzie; that's the least you can do," Andrea told her as she knelt down next to her friend and put an arm around Mackenzie's shoulders, stroking the other girl's dark hair. Mackenzie nodded as she sniffed then put her own arms around Andrea, glad that they were friends above anything else.

They had met when they were still in diapers, when April and Elena were both expecting Fiona and the triplets (respectively), and immediately bonded over a toy being taken away by their boy cousins, Riley and Dante, who were a little older then the two of them. Andrea had gone crying to her mother, and so did Mackenzie, so the two expectant mothers had gotten them to bond with each other; it was instant, and they'd been friends ever since.

A few minutes passed before Mackenzie decided not to stall anymore and tell her parents, no matter how much it was going to sting. She shakily got up with Andrea's help and exited the bathroom, heading back to the room. Once there, she found the phone and picked it up, her fingers trembling as she dialed the number. As it rang, Mackenzie felt herself trembling all over. She knew that she couldn't keep this from her parents, even though she wished she could just run to Elijah and tell him, like she had done after she had slept with Luke. Of course, she wondered if Elijah had told her parents about it.

She didn't have long to wonder, however, because she heard Katie's voice, which was somewhat of a relief. "Kenzie, is that you?" Kenzie was the nickname that Katie had given her older sister a few years back, but never got tired of using it.

"Hi, Katie, are Mom or Daddy around? I need to talk to them."

"You didn't call to talk to me?" Katie said, her tone a bit disappointed. "I'm hurt, Kenzie."

"I'm sorry, Katie, I didn't mean to disappoint you. I promise that we'll talk more when I come home for Thanksgiving break," Mackenzie said. "Could you please put Mom or Daddy on? I really need to talk to them."

Katie then put the phone down and Mackenzie ran her free hand through her hair, trying to ignore the trembling in her fingers. Finally, after a few minutes, she heard Elena pick up. "Mackenzie?"

"Hi, Mom," she replied. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Honey, you know I love to hear your voice," Elena said. "Katie told me that you wanted to talk to either me or your father about something. What's going on? Is everything okay at school?"

"Mom, there's something I really need to tell you," Mackenzie said. "Remember when I got mad at Riley and Penny after Grandma Mimi's funeral? Well, after I got back, I went to my friend Jacques' bar because I wanted to forget about Riley and…"

"We know about that, Mackenzie," Elena said. "Elijah told us."

Mackenzie bit her lip. _I kind of figured that,_ she thought. "Well, that's only part of it." She gulped. "Mom, I…I'm pregnant."

Elena went silent. She knew this would have happened sooner or later, but she had always wished that it were the latter choice instead of the former choice. "Does the father know?" she asked softly after letting the silence linger for longer than she wanted to.

"No, he doesn't, and I don't think he's going to know, at least, not any time soon," Mackenzie replied venomously through the phone. She had no interest in seeing Luke Garrison ever again, and definitely didn't have any plans to tell him about the baby either.

Elena sighed on her end. "What are you going to do about the baby?"

"I'm not getting an abortion, if that's what you're thinking," Mackenzie said, struggling to keep her voice low. "I'm going to keep it, but I'm going to need your help…and Daddy's help, provided he's not mad at me because I inherited his habits."

"You leave your father to me, okay?" Elena said before telling Mackenzie she loved her and that she'd see her at Thanksgiving and smiling at her husband when he came into the room.

"Who was that on the phone?" Damon asked as he leaned down to kiss her on the lips.

"It was Mackenzie. She needed to ask about some math homework that she was struggling with and I helped her with it," Elena said, lying straight through her teeth.

Damon nodded. He knew she was lying, but didn't press the issue. "It's nice to know that our little girl reaches out to you when she has homework problems. Math was never my strong suit in school. I was more of a creative student."

Elena smiled. "Yes, my love, we all know how 'creative' you were."

**Meanwhile**…

Luke knocked on the door to the house that belonged to his brother, Brady. His knock was soon answered by the angry stare of his sister-in-law, Meredith. "What do you want, Lucas? You know that you're not welcome around here," she spit out venomously before going to shut the door in his face, but Luke stopped her by placing his boot-covered foot into the door jam, stopping her.

"Now, Meredith, that's not very nice. I think I deserve an apology for that," he ground out between gritted teeth but she shook her head, pushing him out of the doorway and slamming the door in his face, locking it behind her.

Brady appeared with their eldest child in front of him, holding her by the shoulders as he walked behind her. "Who was at the door, Meredith?" he inquired softly.

She let out a breath. "It was your brother. I slammed the door in his face and remembered to lock it, but it probably won't stop him from leaving," she replied.

Brady nodded. "Well, you did well, Merry. If he does decide to come back again, I'll definitely call the police and get a restraining order against the son of a bitch."

"And if it's not enough?"

"It will be," Brady said. "I promise you that it will be. That boy will learn that he can't threaten you or your family."

She nodded and leaned up to kiss him softly as he pulled her close to him, hugging her fiercely. "We'll get through this together, one day at a time," she vowed quietly to him. He nodded and kissed the top of her head, still holding her close.

"One day at a time," he vowed back to her.

**In Paris, France**…

Lexi let her fingers move rapidly over the keyboard for her computer, smiling at her husband when he stood in the doorway to their private office. "Hi there," she said to him without looking away from her work. She had promised Stefan and Damon that she would help with finding their real sister, Arietta, and she was going to keep that promise.

"Hi yourself," Kol said as he came around the desk, settling himself behind her and began kissing along her neck, smirking when she tilted her head back until it was in the crook of his shoulder and neck.

"You know I can't concentrate when you do that," she said between soft pants of desperation, standing up and pushing him down into the chair then straddled his hips, leaning in and kissing him in a rough, desperate manner.

"And you know that I like distracting you," he replied once she had pulled away from his lips.

Lexi smiled. "You really are a bad boy, Kol. I made a promise to Stefan and Damon and you're making it very hard for me to keep it."

Kol pouted. "I thought you liked bad boys, darling?"

Lexi laughed a bit and poked his nose. "I do, believe me, I do."

Kol laughed as well and then looked over her shoulder at the computer screen. "So, about this promise you made to Stefan and Damon, what does it entail?"

"They want me to track down a relative of theirs. A woman who was posing as her was arrested two months ago, and now, I'm working on finding the real Arietta Salvatore," Lexi said. "It's not exactly an easy process, but you know me, Kol; I'm like a pit bull with a piece of meet. I'll fight and fight and won't give up."

"I do know you, darling, and you know I'll help in any way I can," he told her, kissing her a final time before turning her around in his lap so they could work on the search together. They had been operating Mikaelson & Branson-Mikaelson on the side of her other career, which had been in the music industry, and while she was touring, he stayed behind and got their investigation business up and running smoothly. Then she took a break so they could have a family; their oldest was nearing 21. Xavier was gearing up to take over the company, but hadn't quite reached the point of taking over. "So, what do we know about this woman so far?"

"Just like Stefan and Damon, her father was Guiseppe Salvatore," Lexi said. "He was married to her mother while he was married to Stefan and Damon's mother, Elizabetta. That was the reason he left them, and he was being investigated for bigamy. Unfortunately, I can't get in contact with the guy because he died three months ago, and contacting Renata Salvatore, Arietta's mother, has been a real pain in the foot. I keep getting her voice mail."

"Perhaps I can get her to talk to us," Kol said. "I can be very persuasive."

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Yes, Kol, I know how 'persuasive' you can be. I've been married to you long enough to know that."

Her husband chuckled as he began typing on the computer's keyboard. "Aha, there she is," he said with a triumphant smile. He gestured to the computer and Lexi moved closer to see that he was right; he had indeed found Arietta and Renata Salvatore.

"You are good, sweetie, you are VERY good," she said, giving him a smacking kiss on the lips as her arms wrapped around his neck.

Kol smirked as he returned her kiss. "Was there ever any doubt of my genius, my darling?"

"No, not at all," Lexi said. "You're part of the reason this investigative service of ours is the powerhouse that it is. Damon and Stefan will be ecstatic when they find out about this."

**The Next Day – Salvatore Mansion**…

Stefan slapped his arm over his eye then groaned when he heard his cell phone vibrating across his nightstand. "This is Stefan Salvatore," he said in a hoarse voice.

"Bonjour, my fellow Bon Jon fan, time to wake up; I've got great news!" Lexi's chipper voice said through the phone. "Can you PLEASE come out here and open the door? It's freezing!"

He shot up straight then scrambled quickly out of bed and put on his boxers then a pair of flannel pants, shoving a long sleeve shirt over his head as he left the bedroom and headed downstairs to the front door. "I wasn't expecting you to deliver the news in person, Lee," he told her as he hugged her fiercely.

"I know, but what better way to deliver it?" she said with a smile.

Stefan then escorted Lexi into the mansion, shutting the door behind her and then leading her into the living room, helping her into one of the chairs before taking a seat himself. "Now, you said you have some news to give me?"

Lexi nodded. "Indeed I did. Thanks to some help from my husband, Kol, I was able to track down the real Arietta Salvatore."

Stefan blinked. "You did? That's great, Lee!"

"I also found out that she's been living under a different name," Lexi informed him, pulling out the papers Kol had printed off for her before she left France the night before to come to Mystic Falls, handing the papers to Stefan.

"Hayley Gardner Fell," he read aloud. "You mean to tell me that Hayley is my real sister?" He was shocked, to say the least, and looked over at Lexi, who confirmed it with a brief nod. Stefan blinked in shock. "I can't believe this. Hayley was our sister the whole time. How the hell didn't we know about this?"

**Meanwhile**…

Adrianna Gardner Collins was in the middle of placing her youngest child – adopted from Africa – onto the bed in their room when the knock came softly from downstairs. After placing the blankets over him, Adrianna went downstairs to answer the knock. "Hayley, what are you doing here?" she asked as she let her sister inside.

Hayley sighed. "Ad, we need to talk."

Adrianna raised an eyebrow. "Okay, about what exactly?"

"I'm not who you think I am," Hayley said. "Hayley Gardner isn't my real name. My name is really Arietta Salvatore."

"So, wait, you've been lying to me my entire life about your identity?" Adrianna asked with a shocked tone to her voice.

"Just most of your life, sweetie," Hayley replied. "From the time that you were 8 until now, I've asked Mom and Dad to keep it as well; they took it with them to their grave. They took me in after I told them that I was on the run from my rapist, believing my lie and giving me a new identity."

Adrianna eyed Hayley as she explained herself. She couldn't believe that her sister wasn't really her sister at all, but someone her parents had taken in years ago. "I can't believe Mom and Dad kept this from me all these years." She ran a hand through her hair. "Hayley, I demand to know the truth. I'm old enough now, and I think it's high time I knew."

Hayley bit her lip. "Well, my real parents are Guiseppe and Renata Salvatore, and I have a sister named Natalia. Of course, my father had his own secret; he was married to another woman while he was married to my mother. Unfortunately, I can't ask him about it because he died three months ago, and I'm afraid to ask Renata, my real mother, about it, because I'm not sure if she's going to tell me the truth or not. On top of everything else, I have two half-brothers, Damon and Stefan, Guiseppe's sons from his marriage to Elizabetta."

"Wait, you're related to Damon Salvatore?" Adrianna said. "Crap, I had a crush on him in high school. I wanted to go out with him, but I didn't think he'd go for me because I wasn't a member of the cheer squad." She scowled curiously. "And no one else knows about this? Not even your ex-boyfriend, Tyler?"

"No, I never told him," Hayley said. "Hell, I never told anyone my secret. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if Damon and Stefan found out about me somehow, and they've probably told Natalia about me too." She sniffed. "Oh no, and I even lied to my husband, and he's not going to take this very well. He loves me, don't get me wrong, but he's going to be hurt once he knows that the woman he married is a fake."

"So, call Logan and we'll have dinner, so Dean can know too," Adrianna told Hayley with a soft, sweet smile.

After she dumped Tyler over 20 years ago, Hayley had fallen in love with local news reporter Logan Fell, and though it had been an 'opposites attract' kind of love story, they finally came together as a couple when she showed up with nowhere to go, and very pregnant with his baby, their son Garrett Fell, who was on his way to finishing his first year of college.

Hayley took out her cell phone and dialed Logan's number and after a few rings, she heard her husband's voice on the other end. "Hello?"

"Logan, it's Hayley," she replied. "Are you busy right now?"

"I'm never too busy for my darling wife," Logan said. "What's up?"

"There's something I need to talk to you about," Hayley said. "Adrianna was wondering if we could have dinner with her and Dean."

"I see no reason why we shouldn't," Logan said. "What did you need to discuss with me that involves Adrianna and Dean?"

"It's something that I can't discuss on the phone. It has to be in person," Hayley said. "I know you want to know now, but it'll be better if we discuss it over dinner."

Logan was silent for a few minutes and then said, "Okay, Hayley, if that's what you want, then we can have dinner with Adrianna and Dean, and you can tell me what you need to tell me. I love you, you know that?"

Hayley nodded. _I only hope you still love me after what I tell you,_ she thought. "I love you too, Logan. See you later." She hung up and sighed. "I really hope this works, Ad. I don't want to hurt Logan."

"It will work, Hayley; I've got faith in you," Adrianna said as she hugged the brunette to her in a gentle but fierce hug.

Hayley forced a smile. "It's nice to know that I have your support, Ad. I know that you probably thought I was the worst person in the world for lying to you, but I'm glad you're willing to help me through this."

"Are you going to go visit Stefan now and talk to him in person?" Adrianna asked as she walked with the other woman to the front door to let her out.

Hayley nodded. "It's now or never, so it needs to be done," she replied. She gave Adrianna a final hug then left to head to Stefan and Rebekah's home.

**Salvatore Mansion – Later**…

Hayley pulled up to the Salvatore Mansion, ignoring her pounding heart as she killed the engine. She was nervous as hell, but she knew this had to be done. This was her real family after all, and there was no turning back. Exhaling deeply, Hayley stepped out of the car and walked up to the front of the mansion, ignoring the cold as she walked, mostly because she was too nervous to care.

She arrived at the door and knocked loud enough so that she'd be heard. She didn't have to wait too long because Rebekah appeared. "Hayley, what a surprise; I didn't know you were coming over."

"Hi, Rebekah," the brunette replied. "Is Stefan here by any chance?"

Rebekah nodded and opened the door further, letting Hayley in before closing the door behind her, leading her further in. When they reached the living room, Stefan got up from the chair he had been sitting in. "Thank you, Rebekah." He saw that his wife was about to leave, but added, "No, no, stay. I want you to hear this."

Rebekah nodded again and sat down next to her husband as Hayley sat uneasily on the love seat. There was an awkward silence until the brunette said, "Stefan, I'm…"

"You're my sister?" Stefan said. "Yes, I already know."

"You do?" Hayley said. "How did you know? I didn't tell you yet."

"Let's just say I did some digging around," Stefan said. "It turns out that you are really Arietta Salvatore, but you have been living under the name of Hayley Gardner all these years." He got up from where he was sitting and sat next to her on the love seat. "Your family, your real family, has been worried sick about you; Natalia included, and even your mother, Renata."

"She has?" Hayley said. "I didn't think that anyone would be worried about me. I just assumed that they'd forget about me after I left."

Stefan shook his head. "No, they haven't. They never gave up hope that one day, you'd come home."

Hayley listened to this and then said curiously, "So, how did you really know? Did you really do some digging around, as you said?"

"A con artist showed up two months ago at the club I own with Rebekah, claiming to be you," Stefan said. "Thankfully, she was arrested, and then I asked Lexi Branson Mikaelson, my friend and Rebekah's sister-in-law, to dig up some information about you. She just gave me the results of her search this morning. In fact, I was going to call Damon before you came over."

"Call him and invite him over," Hayley suggested with a soft smile. She was definitely ready to get to know both of her brothers, and let them meet Logan and their family, their nephew and nieces.

Stefan nodded and picked up the phone. "That's a good idea. He's definitely going to be happy to know about this."

He dialed Damon's number and waited patiently as it rang. Finally, after the third ring, he heard his big brother's voice on the other end. "Stefan, how is my favorite brother? To what do I owe the honor of getting this call from you?"

"I'm your only brother, Damon," he replied. "The reason I'm calling is because I have our sister here with me and she told me to call you and invite you here."

"Damn, Lexi is fast, isn't she? I assumed that her investigation would take longer than that," Damon said. "Tell you what, Stefan, I'll definitely come and meet her. In fact, I'll bring Elena, the triplets and Katie. It's time they met their aunt."

"Funny you should mention Elena, because I was just going to suggest that you bring her along. I tell you, brother, you must have ESP or something," Stefan said. "Anyway, tell Elena what we talked about and we'll see you soon."

"Oh, definitely," Damon said. "See you soon, little bro."

Stefan smiled and hung up. Damon hadn't called him 'little bro' in years, but it was refreshing to hear him say it again. Sighing, he looked at Hayley and said, "Damon agreed to meet you. He's bringing Elena and four of their kids."

Hayley's eyes went wide. "Wait a minute, did you say Elena?"

"Yeah, I did," Stefan said. "Why?"

"Stefan, I already KNOW Elena," Hayley said. "Well, maybe not personally, but we did know each other from college. She hung around with Caroline and April." She shook her head. "Oh, this is going to be freaky with a capital F."

**In New York**…

Caroline was speechless when Rebekah told her the news. "Shut the front door! She can't really be his sister," she said, still shocked about it.

"It's true, Care; Hayley Gardner is really Arietta Salvatore," Rebekah replied through the phone.

Caroline was still shocked. "And I didn't know? How the hell did I not know about this? I usually know about EVERYTHING!"

"Care, we all didn't know," Rebekah said. "It wasn't just you. She was living as Hayley Gardner for years, and we only just discovered her real identity when Lexi brought us the information she and Kol dug up."

"This is freaky with a capital F," Caroline said. "Elena isn't going to know what to think when she finds out."

"We'll have to take it as it comes," Rebekah said. "She'll be shocked, I know that."

"She won't be the only one, trust me," Caroline said. "I mean, I can't believe that this is the same person Tyler cheated on me with back in college." She sighed. "Well, I guess fate is funny like that. I mean, I do kind of owe her, since I never would have fallen in love with Nik if it weren't for her.

"And we're all lucky that you did," Rebekah said. "I will most likely invite the entire family in a few days for a big celebratory dinner, can you ask April and Matthew to come as well? We consider them family, even though they aren't."

"Of course I can," Caroline said before ending the call and smiling at Klaus when he came into the room.

"Who was on the phone, love?" he asked as he gave her a peck on the lips.

"That was your sister. Apparently, Arietta Salvatore has been found, rescued, returned safely to her family," Caroline told him with another smile. "It also turns out that Hayley, the woman that Tyler once dated, is the real Arietta Salvatore. She changed her identity so her rapist couldn't find her, and let us believe she was really Hayley, when she really wasn't."

Klaus scowled. "So, Tyler dated Damon and Stefan's sister and didn't know it?"

"No, she played the part well, it seemed," Caroline said. "It was only until now that we discovered her true identity." She kissed him. "Rebekah also said that she's going to invite the entire family in a few days for a celebratory dinner and wants me to ask April and Matt to come. Even though they're not really our family, Rebekah considers that they're family."

"Sounds perfect," Klaus said. "It'll be good to see Matt and April again. I can't remember the last time we were all together in one place."

"Well, I suppose that doesn't really matter," Caroline said. "What does matter is that I'm going to invite them to Rebekah's dinner."

Klaus was about to answer her when Anastasia came into the room, followed by Lillian. "Mother, Lily took my sweater without asking!"

Lillian looked indignantly at her older sister. "I did ask you, but you were too busy yakking on the phone with Kyle Harper."

"That was a private conversation, you snoopy little brat!" Anastasia said. "You don't see me listening in on your conversations with your friends, do you?" She looked back at her parents. "This is why I don't like sharing a room with her. I have no privacy at all! I'm eighteen years old, damn it! I think I deserve my own room! Liam had his own room until he went to college, and Christian has his own room! Even Sebastian has his own room! Why the bloody hell can't I have my own room?"

Klaus got in between his daughters. "Girls, settle down." He looked at Anastasia. "Now, Ana, what is this argument really about, the fact that Lily took your sweater or that you don't have any privacy?"

"A little of both, actually," Anastasia said. "I've taken over as the oldest when Liam went away to college two years ago, and I thought that meant I could have a room of my own. But, no, I get stuck with Lily, who tends to act like she's six rather than sixteen."

Caroline shook her head as she listened to this. It was obvious there needed to be some serious discussion here. "Ana, Lily, could you excuse us? I'd like to speak with your father about this matter in private." She saw that Anastasia was about to protest. "Now!" Once the girls were gone, she looked at Klaus. "Ana's right, you know. She does deserve her own room. I'd hate to see her and Lily getting into fights all the time and I'd also hate for her to feel slighted because the boys have their own rooms and she's stuck sharing a room with her little sister."

"Didn't your stepsister, Jessica, share our room with you while I was touring to promote the gallery?" Klaus was referring to the girl Bill and Stephen adopted from Japan several months after Liam was born. She was now in her second year at Shenandoah Music Conservatory, where she was studying the cello.

"Yes, but that was temporary," Caroline said. "Nik, before Ana goes to college, we need to figure out a way to solve this before it gets worse."

**Donovan Home – That Same Moment**…

"MOM, I can't find my red blouse!" Fiona shrieked from the top of the stairs, and April was startled out of her brief nap, her headache growing worse. Thankfully, Matt came in at just that moment and saw the look in her eyes.

"I'll go deal with her; you stay here and rest," he told her, kissing her softly on the lips before heading up the stairs to deal with their second-born daughter.

Matt found Fiona at the top of the stairs. "I know you want your mother, but she sent me to help you."

Fiona rolled her eyes and nodded. "All right, fine, I suppose you can help me."

She led her father to her room, the floor of which had clothes strewn all about. Matt scratched his head. "I guess I can see why you can't find your blouse. I don't know how you can find anything in this mess." He looked at Fiona. "When was the last time you cleaned your room, Fiona?"

"What does that have to do with finding my blouse?"

"It has everything to have to do with it," Matt said. "Fiona, I think you can find it if you just cleaned up in here a little bit."

Fiona wanted to argue but knew he was right. "Okay. I'll clean my room, as long as I can go to that party this weekend, for Donovan Photography," she wheedled to him.

"I'll think about it. That's really for older people, but we'll see if Andrea can get you in," Matt said before leaving the bedroom and heading back downstairs to check on his wife. He was shocked when he found her going into seizures and knelt quickly beside her. "APRIL, what happened; what can I do?!"

When her seizures stopped, she lay back down on the couch. "Matt," she said in a voice that fell somewhere between a choked sob and a slight whine. "Hospital, now…" He nodded and picked her up in his arms, carrying her out to his truck in the garage. Matt came back inside and met the panicked gaze of his daughter.

"Fiona, I want you to stay here with the others. I need to take your mother to the hospital, and you're going to be responsible for them, okay?" he said, framing her face between his slightly chilled hands and she nodded fiercely. "But, for now, can you call your mother's cousin, Francesca Mikaelson? She will need to meet us at the hospital."

Fiona nodded again and waited until he was gone to pull out her cell phone with shaky fingers, dialing the number of her mom's cousin, Francesca. "Fancy, it's Fiona; Dad needs you to meet him and Mom at the hospital," she told her softly.

At the Grill, Francesca got up from her booth then helped Ruby up as well. "Sweetheart, I hate to do this, but we'll have to put our shopping on hold for a few days. That was an emergency for the hospital, and I have to go and check on a patient of mine," she told her niece.

"It's alright, Aunt Fancy, I completely understand," Ruby said with a soft smile.

Francesca dropped Ruby off at home before she went to the hospital, where she saw Matt and April. Matt was scared half to death, and April didn't look that good. "What happened to her, Matt?"

"It started as a headache," he replied. "Then, it turned into a full-blown seizure."

"Well, it's a good thing you got her here," Francesca said. "We'll have to begin immediately." She looked at April. "It's going to be all right, April. You're in good hands with me."

**Author's Note:** MUCH, MUCH longer than the last chapter, but I'm updating this now, and we'll get started on our next chapter NOW. LOVE YOU BUNCHES!


	6. Chapter 6

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", it is discovered that Hayley was the long-lost half sister of Damon and Stefan, and April gets taken to the hospital._**

**Chapter Six**

**Salvatore Mansion – A Few Days Later**…

Elena looked at Damon as they pulled up to Stefan's mansion. She was still reeling from the news he had told her about Hayley being his sister. She couldn't believe that the same girl that Tyler cheated on Caroline with in college was really her sister-in-law and she never knew it until now. Damon noticed her looking at him. "I know, Elena, it was hard for me too when I found out."

"I just can't believe that we didn't know who she really was all this time," she replied. "In college, she was just the girl that came between Caroline and Tyler. Now, she's someone completely different."

"Yes, she is," Damon said. "She's family now."

She nodded, still shocked as they got out of his Camaro, Klaus and Caroline pulling up behind them in their Suburban. Front and back doors opened, and the very back opened, and all the children piled out. The front door to the mansion opened and all of them ran to hug their aunt and uncle as they stood there. "Aunt Rebel, Uncle Stefan!" they all shrieked.

Rebekah rolled her eyes at the nickname her brothers gave her as a younger woman that her nieces and nephews used, but still hugged them all as they came up the steps to greet her and Stefan. Once everyone was inside, she looked at her brother and sister in law, as well as her brother and sister in law. "Why, um, why aren't April and Matt here?" she asked.

"They, um, they couldn't make it," Klaus replied, his hand running over the back of his neck. "Matt had to admit her to the hospital; she had seizures. Francesca had to stay behind as well to help get started on the surgery process."

"Do they think she'll make it through the winter?" Rebekah asked softly. Elena and Caroline both shook their heads no.

"No. She's been in and out of the hospital, and multiple surgeries have kept them down, but now Francesca is saying that she won't be coming home this time," Damon replied.

Rebekah nodded, biting her lip to keep from crying. Her heart went out to Matt in that moment, knowing that he was going through hell right now. Stefan pulled her to him in a hug, kissing her forehead in comfort. He knew that she wanted to cry, but was trying to keep a brave face in front of the family.

A cell phone beeped, and Rebekah pulled hers out to answer it. "Hey, Dante, what's going on?" she asked her oldest son, stopping at the news that floated into her ears. "No. We'll all be there as soon as we can." She hung up and turned to the group. "The dinner will have to be put on hold. That was Dante; he told me that Francesca had just rushed April to immediate surgery."

The group of people all rushed out the door, grabbing their coats on the way and drove to the St. Joseph Good Samaritan Hospital, where they'd admitted April. Stefan and Rebekah spotted Dante and Andrea as well as Mackenzie just up the hallway with Matt as they all paced, well mostly Matt did. Andrea stood there with Dante's arms wrapped fiercely around her. "Hey! Have you heard any news?" Stefan asked as he came up to them with the others following behind him.

"No. They just took her into surgery, Dad," Dante said as he rocked Andrea in his arms. Ever since she told him she was pregnant, he had asked her to move in with him, and also to marry him. They'd kept the engagement quiet for a few months, and she wore the ring on a chain that was hidden beneath the blouse she was currently wearing, hidden very well beneath it.

Mackenzie felt her heart hammer as she saw her aunt and uncle, closing her jacket around her belly. She had only told her mother about her pregnancy, and although she was grateful that her secret was still being kept, she was nervous that something might slip. She nodded as well. "I'm sorry that your plans had to be postponed, Uncle Stefan."

"It's not your fault, Mackenzie," Stefan said. "While that dinner of ours was important, Aunt April is suffering right now, and we're here to help support your Uncle Matt."

Rebekah noticed how nervous Mackenzie was. "Mackenzie, are you all right? You're sweating, love."

"I'm fine, Aunt Rebekah," Mackenzie said. "I just…don't feel too good."

Rebekah saw that Mackenzie looked like she was about to throw up, so she led her niece to the bathroom, where she found an open stall and waited while the girl threw up, cringing at the sound. She wasn't kidding about not feeling good, but she wondered if it was something else. When Mackenzie came out of the stall and went to the sink, Rebekah decided to ask what was going on. "Mackenzie, what's going on? I know you said you weren't feeling well, but I need to know if it's something else."

Mackenzie knew that she couldn't keep it from her aunt, so she said, "I'm pregnant, Aunt Rebekah. And no, it's not Riley's. I was mad at him when I saw him with Penny, so I had revenge sex with a guy I met at Jacques' bar." She felt her heart hammer. "The only person I've told is Mom, and I want you to promise that you won't tell anyone about this, not even Uncle Stefan, at least not yet."

"I promise," Rebekah vowed as she hugged her niece to her in a gentle embrace. Mackenzie returned her hug and then they both turned when the door opened again to reveal Andrea.

"They've brought her back to her room. We're getting ready to say our goodbyes," she said in a blank voice. Mackenzie went over to her friend and hugged her fiercely before Rebekah did the same then hugged them both to her. April, though a few years younger, was almost like another sister that she didn't get to have, even though she did have Sabrina, her half-sister, who was in her 30s.

The three women left the restroom and rejoined the group that had gotten a little bigger, since all of the Mikaelson family, the Salvatore family and the Gilbert family had joined them.

Mackenzie tried to be brave as they went into April's room, even though tears were pouring down her face at that moment. She hated this. Everyone around her seemed to be dying; first, her Grandma Mimi and now April. Aubrey was still around, but only for another four months, and she hadn't alerted anyone to it, not even Liam.

Matt took his place at his wife's side, and Andrea took up the other side, with her fiancé right behind her, his arms resting on her shoulders in a comforting manner. They all turned when Henrik and Francesca came into the room together. "So, we have great news," Francesca told them with a beaming smile. "We were able to remove the cause of April's seizures, and she will be okay from now on. We'll be keeping her for a few days, but after that, she'll be free to go home with her family."

Everyone in the room cheered quietly so they didn't disturb the other patients and hugged Matt then Andrea, kissing April on the forehead, 'See you later' chorusing as they all left them alone. Dante decided to stay behind so he and Andrea could give April their news about the baby, and their engagement.

April scowled when Dante and Andrea stayed behind. "Aren't you going to go with them?"

"Mom, there's something you should know," Andrea said. "Dante and I are getting married." She gently took her hand and placed it on her belly. "I'm also having Dante's baby."

Matt looked at April and then at Andrea. "You're getting married? And you're having a baby?" He smiled. "That's the best news we got other than the fact that your mother is going to live."

"We're pretty excited about it, and she's also going to help out with the studio when she's not busy in her classes," Dante said as he leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. "Andrea has also agreed to switch to online classes for the remainder of the semester, and the beginning of the next one, since she'll be big and pregnant and very, very beautiful by then."

**St. Joseph Good Samaritan Hospital – Later**…

Mackenzie walked out of the hospital, a thousand thoughts racing through her mind at once. She stopped walking momentarily and looked up toward the heavens, knowing that Miranda was watching all of this unfold. In fact, Mackenzie wished that she hadn't died so that she had someone else to turn to. She knew that her other grandmother, Elizabetta, was still around, but she also needed Miranda's guidance. "Oh, Grandma Mimi," she whispered, more to herself than anyone in particular. "I miss you so much. I wish you were here so that I could call you and tell you what's going on."

No sooner did she finish than Mackenzie was grabbed from behind and a hand clamped itself over her mouth to prevent her from screaming. Her heart hammering, Mackenzie slowly turned her head and saw that the person was none other than…Luke Garrison! Great, just the person she didn't want to see right now. She struggled against his hold, but Luke refused to let go of her. He held her tight against him as he all but dragged her to his car and threw her into the passenger seat as he got in on the driver's side, starting the engine and drove away from the hospital.

It was quiet between them until Mackenzie said, "What the hell are you doing, Luke? If you're looking for something more, I can't give it to you. What we had was just a one-night deal and…"

Luke growled. "Shut up! While the offer is tempting, that's not what I'm after. My partner thinks you're valuable, my dear, and considering the fact that yours is one of the founding families of Mystic Falls, I think you'd fetch a lovely ransom." He glanced at her. "You and the baby, of course…"

"Wait, you know about the baby?" Mackenzie was really scared now. How did he know she was pregnant?

A sly smile crept across his face as Luke said, "I listened in on the phone call you made to your mother the other day. Apparently, our one night together must've really been special if you wound up getting pregnant. It's mine, isn't it? Not that I care, I just asked."

Mackenzie felt her head spin at that. "Luke, you don't want to do this. Please, just let me go."

"And why would I do that?" Luke said. "Did you not hear me? My partner thinks you're valuable and I'm going to bring you to her."

Partner; that meant he was talking about the fraud who had tried to worm her way into Mac's family as her aunt Arietta. "I thought she was arrested and put in jail. My aunt has been found," Mackenzie told Luke as she used the hand in the back pocket of her jeans to dial the number for Riley, pressing SEND so he could listen to the conversation.

Riley was working on some inventory for the studio when his cell phone began to ring on the table in front of him. The caller ID said 'Mackenzie' and he picked it up then heard her voice before another one came over/through the line. "I was able to get her out, by posing as a security guard and springing her free when the time came," the voice said. It was distinctively male, and it irked Riley to no end to know Mackenzie was cheating on him but then he actually paid attention to the conversation.

Mackenzie gulped. "You don't want to do this, Luke. I know you're made at me because I walked out, but that doesn't mean you have to resort to working with some woman who was trying to worm her way into my family. What did she promise you, Luke, money?"

"She promised me plenty," Luke said. "Of course, once I hand you over to her, I'll get double, maybe triple, what she originally offered. Your old man will have to do what she tells him if he wants to see his little girl again."

In the studio, Riley clenched his fists then used the landline to call Mackenzie's family, especially her parents. "Damon, Elena, this is Riley Talbot," he said as soon as the line picked up.

"Riley, this is Juliet Salvatore, let me get my parents for you," a female voice similar to Mackenzie's said before the phone was passed onto someone in the background.

"Hello there, Riley, this is Elena, how have you been?" Elena asked in a soft, chipper tone.

"Um, Elena, are you in the room with your husband?" Riley asked as she scratched his forehead in silent frustration.

More shuffling could be heard and then Elena's voice came back on the line. "We're in the other room now, Riley, what's going on?" her voice asked, fully leaking with concern now.

Riley took a deep breath. "Elena, it's Mackenzie; she's been kidnapped."

Elena gasped in fear and Damon took the phone from his wife. "Who took her, Riley? Who has my daughter?"

"Some guy named Luke," Riley said. "He's working for that fraud that tried to worm her way into your family."

"Thank you, Riley, for telling us," Damon replied.

"Damon, there's more," Riley said, putting the phone on speaker before turning his cell phone on speaker as well.

Luke had a sadistic grin as he said, "You and that baby are going to make me rich, especially if your family has as much money as my partner told me they do."

"You're sick, Luke," Mackenzie said. "You definitely weren't like this the night I met you."

"Oh, you thought I was a gentleman that night?" Luke said. "I was doing that to get you to trust me. Then, once I got your trust, it was only a matter of time before we sprung our trap. You see, my partner has been doing quite a bit of research on your family, and it was quite interesting. Such a proud lineage you come from, Mackenzie."

"You won't get my family's money, Luke," Mackenzie spat. "And neither will that fraud you're working with. For crying out loud, you're my baby's father!"

"True as that is, I don't care," Luke said. "The only thing I was told to do was get close to you. If you're pregnant, that's your own fault, not mine."

Mackenzie felt hot tears stinging her eyes. "You're not just sick, you're a monster! How do you sleep at night knowing that you're putting an innocent child in danger?"

Luke laughed. "Oh, I sleep very well. And that friend of yours, the one who distracted me while you got away? She was quite the firecracker in the sack."

"You leave Tanya out of this," Mackenzie said. "She was just helping me!" She sobbed. "You actually think you'll get paid for this? How do you know you're not being played too? That partner of yours may have promised you money or whatever kind of reward, but she won't deliver!"

He slammed his fist on the wheel when he heard the sirens before they appeared behind his car. "Damn it! I thought I could get out of this, but apparently, your family has connections too," he said with another slam to the wheel.

Mackenzie saw the sirens as well and smirked through her tears. "Never underestimate a Salvatore, Luke. We're more powerful than you think we are. You mess with one Salvatore, you mess with them all."

Luke growled at her. "And that's supposed to scare me? Let them try their worst, I can take them!"

He was quick to shut up when the fist belonging to none other than Mackenzie went flying into his jaw before she was climbing out of the car to greet her Aunt Anna with a smile. "Thanks for remembering, Aunt Anna," Mackenzie said and the Asian woman nodded and smiled at her niece.

"Are you all right, Mackenzie?" Anna said. "Did he hurt you?"

"No, I'm okay," her niece replied. "But, Luke is going to be hurting for quite a while. I broke his jaw pretty good."

"Good," Anna said. "Your parents will be relieved to know that I got to you in time." She looked toward the other officers. "Men, place that monster under arrest. I'm going to escort my niece back to her parents."

One of the officers then took Luke into custody. Mackenzie followed her aunt to her car, looking back at Luke and smirking evilly as she saw how much pain he was in.

**A Few Hours Later – The Police Station**…

Riley walked in behind Damon and Elena, and Jeremy, who greeted his law officer wife with a kiss. The photographer spotted Mackenzie before she spotted them and he ran up to her, kneeling down in front of her. "I'm so glad that you weren't hurt, Mackenzie," he told her.

She cried, tears running down her cheeks as she leaped forward into his arms. "I was so scared, Riley! I was scared that he would hurt me, and my baby," she sobbed into his neck as he held her close, rubbing her back in a comforting manner.

Riley nodded. "You're safe now. He won't be bothering you again. Your aunt and her colleagues are going to put him away for a long time." He pulled back and wiped her tears. "Are you still angry at me for kissing Penny? I'll understand if you are."

Mackenzie sniffed. "You did hurt me, which is why I slept with Luke in the first place. It's going to take time before I trust you again."

"I understand," Riley said. "Can we take it one day at a time?"

"Sure," Mackenzie said. "I'd like that." She placed his hand on her belly. "The baby would like it too."

"Okay. We'll take it one day at a time then," he vowed then kissed her forehead in a tender caress.

Damon and Elena watched the entire scene taking place, and looked at each other then back at their daughter and her former boyfriend. "I'm so proud of her for putting herself through this ordeal and still coming out on top," Elena told her husband as she put her arms around Damon's waist and hugged him to her.

"I am too, Lena," Damon replied as he hugged his wife back then kissed her temple.

Mackenzie smiled as she felt Riley's kiss on her forehead and then looked over to see her parents standing there. She looked back at Riley. "Riley, I think I'd like to talk to my parents now."

Riley nodded. "Sure." He helped her up off the chair and watched as she walked over to Damon and Elena. She hugged them, feeling their arms around her as they hugged her back.

She pulled back after a few minutes and looked at them. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for, sweetheart?" Damon asked. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"For not thinking before I did what I did," Mackenzie said. "I should've listened to Jacques when he warned me about Luke. I wouldn't have gotten into the mess that I did if…"

"Mackenzie, you made a mistake," Damon said. "We all make mistakes. Hell, I made quite a few, especially when I was your age." He kissed her forehead. "But, that's not important right now. What's important is that you're safe."

"Your father's right," Elena said. "The most important thing is that you're safe." She touched her daughter's belly. "And the baby is safe too."

**Salvatore Mansion – That Same Moment**…

Klaus sat at the grand piano, plunking away at the keys. Whenever he had the opportunity at home, he would play the piano and just lose himself in the music. As he was playing, he saw Caroline approaching him and standing by the piano to listen to what he was doing. With a smile, he then launched into playing a song that he knew she'd like: "Drowning" by the Backstreet Boys.

**_Don't pretend you're sorry  
I know you're not  
You know you've got the power  
To make me weak inside_**

_**And girl, you leave me breathless**_  
_**But, it's okay**_  
_**'Cause you are my survival**_  
_**Now hear me say**_

_**I can't imagine**_  
_**Life without your love**_  
_**And even forever**_  
_**Doesn't seem like long enough**_

_**Every time I breathe, I take you in**_  
_**And my heart beats again**_  
_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**You keep me drowning in your love**_

_**Every time I try to rise above**_  
_**I'm swept away by love**_  
_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**You keep me drowning in your love**_

_**Maybe I'm a drifter**_  
_**Maybe not**_  
_**'Cause I have known the safety**_  
_**Of floating freely in your arms**_

_**I don't need another life line**_  
_**It's not for me**_  
_**'Cause only you can save me**_  
_**Oh, can't you see**_

_**I can't imagine**_  
_**Life without your love**_  
_**And even forever**_  
_**Don't seem like long enough**_  
_**(Don't seem like long enough, yeah)**_

_**Every time I breathe, I take you in**_  
_**And my heart beats again**_  
_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**You keep me drowning in your love**_

_**Every time I try to rise above**_  
_**I'm swept away by love**_  
_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**You keep me drowning in your love**_

_**Go on and pull me under**_  
_**Cover me with dreams, yeah**_  
_**Love me mouth to mouth now**_  
_**You know I can't resist**_  
_**'Cause you're the air that I breathe**_

_**Every time I breathe, I take you in**_  
_**('Cause every time I breathe, yeah)**_  
_**And my heart beats again**_  
_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**(Baby, I can't help it)**_  
_**You keep me drowning in your love**_

_**And every time I try to rise above**_  
_**I'm swept away by love**_  
_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**You keep me drowning in your love**_  
_**(Hoo, hoo)**_

_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**You keep me drowning in your love**_  
_**(Got me drowning)**_  
_**You've got me drowning**_  
_**Keep drowning in your love**_

_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**Can't help it**_  
_**(Got me drowning)**_  
_**No, no**_

_**'Cause ever time I breathe, I take you in**_  
_**(Yes, I do)**_  
_**Then my heart beats again**_  
_**(Oh)**_  
_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**(Baby, I can't help it)**_  
_**Keep me drowning in your love**_

_**And every time I try to rise above**_  
_**(Got me drowning)**_  
_**I'm swept away by love**_  
_**Baby, I can't help it**_  
_**Keep me drowning in your love**_

Caroline smiled as the song ended and kissed him. "That was beautiful, Nik. I love it when you play a song for me."

Klaus returned both her smile and her kiss. "I know you do. That's why I do it." He cleared his throat. "Lately, I've been thinking about our wedding in Italy and how beautiful it was." He smiled again. "And my love, of course, how beautiful you looked in your gown, how it took my breath away as you walked up the aisle on your father's arm."

Caroline nodded. "Yeah, the same goes for me too." Curiously, she added, "Why? What's going on in that head of yours, Nik?"

"I was thinking that since our anniversary is coming up, we should renew our vows."

Caroline smiled again and kissed him. "Oh, that sounds great! We could even include the children in the ceremony."

"And just what were you going to include us in for, Mother?" a familiar voice asked and Caroline squealed when she turned around and spotted Liam walking into the room. She ran to hug him tightly to her. Liam hugged her back then walked over to his father to hug him as well.

"Well, your father and I are going to renew our vows in time for our anniversary, and we thought it would be nice to include you and your siblings in the ceremony in some way," his mother explained, still grinning. She was happy that he was visiting them today.

Liam smiled. "I was wondering what you were going to be doing for your anniversary. After all, it has been twenty years. Renewing your vows is perfect, and you know that I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to participate in the ceremony."

"We knew you'd agree, Liam," Klaus said. "And we're happy to see you. Things haven't been the same since you went off to college."

"Let me guess, dear Ana can't shut up about getting her own room?"

Caroline nodded. "Yeah, she mentioned it. She and Lily are fighting more than usual."

"I think you should let her have my old room. If it would make her happy then let her have it," Liam told his parents. "I mean, I do have my own place now, above the studio, and I'm also going to ask Aubrey to move in with me." Liam watched as his parents exchanged a brief glance. "What? What's going on?"

"Liam, we didn't want to be the ones to tell you, but Vicki came to us with some unexpected news several weeks ago. Aubrey is in the hospital," Caroline told him softly as she felt her husband's comforting touch pull her closer and she wound her arms around his neck while they waited for the reaction from their oldest son.

"What?" His voice had lowered an octave, sounding almost broken and desperate. "She was fine when I visited her…" Liam trailed off, realizing she must have landed in the hospital right after he saw her several months ago. "Do they know how long she has?"

"Six months, they told her two months ago, so four months now," Klaus replied, his hand coming up and patting his son on the shoulder in a comforting manner.

Liam pulled away from his father's hand, after which he growled and punched a hole in the wall with his fist, not caring if he had blood on it after pulling it out of the hole. "This isn't fair! Why must the one girl I gave my heart to have to die? I wanted to marry her, have children with her!" He turned to face his parents, tears running down his face. The last time he had cried this much was when he scraped his knee on the sidewalk when he was ten years old. "And they can't do anything to help her?"

Caroline shook her head. "No, baby, they said the tumor was inoperable."

Liam sobbed as he heard this. He felt like someone had taken a knife and stabbed him with it, laughing at his pain. "It's not fair! It's just not fair!"

Caroline and Klaus looked at each other and, after receiving a nod from her husband, Caroline went over to her oldest son, hugging him and running her fingers gently through his curly blonde hair. She hated that he was in so much pain and wished that there was something she could do to take it away. She didn't care how old he was, he was still her baby and he needed her.

Finally, Liam pulls back and wipes his tears away. "Can we, um, can we go see her tomorrow?" he asked his parents and they both nodded, knowing he needed to do this without hesitation.

Liam nodded and smiled. His blue eyes were slightly misty from crying. "I…I just need to see her. She might not be in the best condition, but I need to see her, talk to her. She probably had her reasons for not telling me, but I need to tell her how much I love her and miss her when she's gone."

"We know you do, son," Klaus said. "And we're sorry you had to find out like this."

"No, Father, I needed to hear it," Liam said. "I'm glad that I heard it from you and Mum instead of not hearing it at all." He sniffed. "If four months is all I have to be with her, then I'll try to make her happy, because she's probably miserable. I'll do anything, sing to her, paint her a picture, whatever it takes to see her smile at least once before I have to say goodbye, hard as it's going to be."

He heard his phone ring and saw Mackenzie's number, smiling again. He hadn't heard from that girl in what seemed like ages. They were the best of friends, almost like brother and sister. Excusing himself from his parents, he found an empty room and pressed SEND. "Mackenzie, love, it's good to hear from you."

"Hi, Liam," she replied. "How are you?"

"Pretty good, all things considered," Liam said. "I just heard about Aubrey."

"You did, from whom?"

"My parents," Liam said. "My mother said that Aubrey's mother came to them several weeks ago with the news. I won't lie when I say that I was in shock when I heard about it."

"You and me both," Mackenzie said. "She didn't want me to tell you because she didn't want you to get upset, seeing how much you care about her." She sighed. "She also told me that you were going to need a friend to be there for you, and wanted me to be that friend."

"Thank you, Mackenzie. I could always count on you to be there for me when I was either in trouble or needed a friend, even when we were kids," Liam said. "I'm going to visit Aubrey in the hospital tomorrow. I'd appreciate it if you came with me for moral support."

"Sure, Liam," Mackenzie said. "I'll definitely be there."

**Author's Note:** And there you have it! Chapter 6 of our next-generation fan fiction collaboration; we're going to have Chapter 7 up next, so make sure you R&R!


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** I won't be writing an author's note at the bottom for this update. I was too lazy to do it! So I hope you like this update!

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", it is discovered that Hayley was the long-lost half sister of Damon and Stefan, and April gets taken to the hospital._**

**Chapter Seven**

**St. Joseph Good Samaritan Memorial Hospital – The Following Morning**…

Mackenzie spotted Liam and his parents in the entrance to the hospital and broke into a run, grinning as Liam opened his arms to catch her. "Oh, love, you have no idea how good it feels to see you again!" he said with soft enthusiasm, kissing her affectionately on the lips.

"I think I do!" she replied with the same soft enthusiasm as him then turned to Caroline and Klaus when the joined them. "Hi Aunt Care, Hi Uncle Nik!"

"Hi sweetheart," Klaus replied, kissing her cheek before Caroline gave Mackenzie a gentle hug.

Mackenzie looked at Liam. "I guess we'd better go to Aubrey's room then. I think seeing you will make her smile. Though, I hope she doesn't think I broke my promise."

"You didn't break your promise, love," Liam said. "You had no idea that Aubrey's mother would go to my mother." He squeezed her hand gently to reassure her. "So, don't get into a fret over it, all right?"

Mackenzie nodded. "I suppose you're right. Stress isn't good for the baby."

Liam raised an eyebrow. "Baby, what baby? What are you talking about?"

"It's a long story, and I don't want to get into it right now," Mackenzie said. "Though, I'd be more than to happy to explain later." She sighed. "Besides, my being pregnant isn't why you're here."

"Right," Liam said. "I'm here to visit Aubrey." He gave Mackenzie a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I do look forward to your explanation later."

"And we do too, actually," Caroline said. "This is the first time we're hearing about this."

"I know, but as I told Liam, I'll explain everything later," Mackenzie said. "For now, let's go see Aubrey."

Liam nodded and turned to his parents. "Do you mind if we go alone in there first? I'm sure that Aubrey will want to see us together," he said.

His parents nodded. "Of course, Liam, go ahead," they replied in unison, gesturing for him to go on ahead with Mackenzie, who he smiled at as he held out his hand. She slapped hers into his and they walked into Aubrey's hospital room, hand in hand.

"LIAM, MACKENZIE, YOU CAME!" Aubrey squealed quietly and Liam smiled at her soft enthusiasm as he kissed her on the lips before Mackenzie hugged her gently.

"Of course we did, love," Liam said. "We thought you might want to see someone other than those bloody doctors."

"Yeah, they can get pretty monotonous after a while," Aubrey said. "It's good to see people that I actually care about." She sighed. "I guess my mother didn't keep quiet about my condition, huh?"

"No, she didn't. Liam said that his parents found out when she went to them," Mackenzie said. "And I was the only one who actually kept your secret."

"Its okay, Mac, I'm not upset about it," Aubrey said. "Besides, you didn't know that my mother was going to do what she did."

Liam nodded. "That's exactly what I told her."

Mackenzie then felt nauseous and, letting go of Liam's hand, rushed into the bathroom and Liam cringed at the sound of vomiting coming from the other side of the door. Aubrey heard it too and looked at Liam. "Liam, what's wrong with Mackenzie?"

"She's pregnant."

Aubrey scowled in confusion. "Pregnant? How? Who's the father?"

"I don't know, she didn't tell me," Liam said. "She just said that it was a long story and that she'd explain later. I am rather curious, but I'm not about to force her into telling me."

Aubrey took his hand. "You still love her; I can see it in your eyes. I see it in her eyes as well. You two obviously have history together, which was why I wanted her to be there for you when the time came."

"Yes, and I'm glad you did," Liam said. "Mackenzie is a sweet girl and I adore her." He patted her hand gently. "I love you, Aubrey."

"I love you too, Liam," Aubrey said. "I know it's going to be hard for you to say goodbye, but don't think of it as goodbye. Think of it as 'see you later'." Aubrey sniffled at that, and pulled Liam with her until he was sitting next to her in the bed, her arms wrapping around him as his did the same to her. "I'm going to watch over you every day after I'm gone, Liam, I can promise you that. I'll be your guardian angel and Mackenzie's too," she told the British photographer.

Liam smiled. "I'd like that, love. Mackenzie will and her baby will too. It won't be the same without you, but I'll try to move on."

Mackenzie returned from the bathroom and still looked a little pale, so Liam got up and put his arms around her. "I just want to go home and rest for a little bit," she told him in a ragged whisper. He nodded and brought her over to Aubrey for one final hug before leading her out of the hospital room, where he stopped in front of his parents.

"She's still in there, but I'm going to take M home. She's not feeling too well," Liam told his parents, who nodded and hugged Mackenzie, telling her to 'get well soon' before the four of them split up and went in two different directions. When Mackenzie nearly collapsed onto the floor beside him, Liam picked her up in his arms and carried her outside to his car, which he'd brought separately from his parents.

Mackenzie sighed as Liam carried her out to his car. Once they got there, he opened the door and gently placed her in the seat, placing her seat belt on before getting in on his side and started the engine. It was quiet between them for a few minutes until Liam broke the silence. "Are you all right, Mackenzie love?"

"I'm fine, just a little morning sickness. It comes and goes," she replied. "Liam, I think I should explain myself." She saw that he was about to protest. "No, I want to explain. Besides, I promised that I would and I intend to keep my promise."

"All right, if that's what you want," Liam said. "We've got a bit of a drive, so I think that would help to pass the time."

"It's not a pretty story," Mackenzie said. "Two months ago, I caught Riley kissing Penny after my Grandma Mimi's funeral. I got so mad that I said that I never wanted to see either of them again. After I returned to South Carolina, I went to Jacques' bar, the Function Junction, because I wanted to have revenge sex with a random guy to distract myself from the anger I felt. I met this guy, Luke Garrison, and we went back to his place and I got what I had gone out to get. Tanya helped me sneak out the next morning and I swore that I'd never see Luke again. Two months later, I find out I'm pregnant, but I told myself that I wouldn't tell Luke about it. Then, the other day, he kidnaps me and…"

"Wait, he kidnapped you?!" Liam said. "He didn't hurt you, did he? If he did, I'll knock that bastard on his ass!"

"No, but I was afraid he would," Mackenzie said. "He got arrested thanks to Aunt Anna."

Liam nodded. "I'm glad you're safe, love." Curiously, he added, "So, what about Riley?"

"We're taking it one day at a time," Mackenzie said. "It's going to take a while before I can trust him again."

**A Few Days Later – Junction Function**

Mackenzie walked in and greeted Jacques and his partner with a smile then went up into one of the VIP sections of the bar, closing herself into a room and flopping down into a chair to watch all the people downstairs, her nose pressed against the pane of the glass. She was soon startled out of her thoughts when a soft knock came to the door, turning quickly out of the chair to go answer it, smiling at Liam through tear-filled eyes. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he folded her into his arms.

"Riley and I ended it, this time for good," she sobbed out quietly, her sobs muffled in the material of his shirt.

Liam ran his fingers through her hair. "You ended it? Why? I thought you were working it out?"

"I did too," she replied. "But, he confessed to me that he still loved Penny and that he was going back to her, so we went our separate ways." She sobbed again. "Great, now I'll have to raise my baby alone."

"No, you won't," Liam said. "If Riley doesn't want to be there for you, then I will."

"But, Liam…"

"No, Mackenzie, I want to do this," Liam said. "Aubrey said so herself, we have history together, and that was why she wanted you to be there for me." He stepped back and held her hands in his. "Let me return the favor. Let me be there for you."

Mackenzie said nothing, just smiled and kissed him, reaching up to run her fingers through his curly blonde hair. She didn't know why, but something told her to reach out to Liam to be her hero. Liam smiled against her lips and returned her kiss, moaning as their tongues made contact with each other, which sent all the old feelings he had for her to come rushing back to the surface. A few minutes passed before he stepped back again, looking down into her eyes.

Finally, Mackenzie said, "All right, Liam, I'll let you be there for me." She placed his hand on her belly. "And for the baby too; I know this isn't quite what either of us was expecting, but I guess fate has a funny way of intervening."

Liam gently rubbed her belly. "You're right, it does. I still love, Mackenzie Salvatore, and I know that you feel the same about me."

"Yes, Liam, I do. I never stopped loving you, even after we broke up." She giggled slightly. "I just can't wait to see the look on Aunt Care and Uncle Nik's faces when they find out about this."

"Oh, I think they knew that there was still a spark between us," Liam said. "That kiss I gave you and the way we held hands while walking to Aubrey's room tipped them off."

She giggled some more and then he threw her over his shoulder. "Liam! Liam, what? Liam, what are you doing? LIAM MIKAELSON, YOU PUT ME DOWN, RIGHT NOW!" Her soft yells were drowned out by the noisy club as he carried her out of it, smiling at Jacques and Frederick as he left.

Liam carried Mackenzie out to his car and placed her in the passenger side, just like he did before, and placed her seat belt on before getting in on his side and, just before he starts the car's engine; he took out a silk scarf that he tied over her eyes. Mackenzie certainly wasn't expecting this at all. Just what was he planning?

"Liam, why did you blindfold me? Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, my love," he replied. "I didn't want to spoil it, so I'm making sure you don't see where I'm taking you."

Mackenzie was about to say something when he kissed her gently and then started the engine, driving away from the club. He wanted this to be special for them. Fate was giving him a second chance with his former love, and he wasn't about to waste a single moment. If he learned anything from watching how affectionate Klaus and Caroline were toward each other growing up, it was that a man should do everything in his power to make sure that the woman he was with was treated like a queen every day.

"I hope this is a good surprise, Liam," Mackenzie said. "I swear to God, if you take us somewhere dumb…"

"Oh, Mackenzie, I thought you had more faith in me than that," Liam said. "Trust me, you'll like this surprise. And if you don't, you're more than welcome to hit me."

She remembered when he said that to her, when they were freshmen in high school:

_**Flashback – Almost 6 Years Before**_

_"Mackenzie, wait up!" an accented voice called out the brunette and she turned to smile at Liam as he jogged up to her then stopped before he knocked her into the set of lockers at her back. He frowned when he noticed the stack of books in her hands, her arms nearly buckling at their weight. "What are you doing, carrying all of those?"_

_"I'm carrying them, Liam; I am going outside to wait for my mom or dad to get here so I can put them in their car," Mackenzie replied with a roll of her eyes._

_Liam shook his head and took some of the books from her. "Not all of them, you're not."_

_"You're too much, you know that?" Mackenzie said. "Sometimes, I think Uncle Nik and Aunt Care raised you too well."_

_Liam laughed. "Well, I can't help myself. You're more than welcome to hit me."_

When they arrived at their destination, Liam stopped the car and turned off the engine then climbed out of the car and ran around to help Mackenzie out, keeping his hand entwined in hers as he leads her to her surprise.

Mackenzie could've sworn she heard sea gulls and the ocean as she walked. "Liam, are we…at the beach?"

Liam nodded and smiled as he removed the blindfold. "Yes, we are. I wanted us to be somewhere special for the next part of your surprise."

Mackenzie didn't need to guess what that was, because she already knew. He was going to sing for her, like he did when they were in high school.

When he began to play the first chords to 'Back at One' by Mark Willis, she felt tears sting the corners of her eyes.

**_It's undeniable that we should be together  
It's unbelievable how I used to say I'd fall never  
The basis is need to know, if you don't know just how I feel  
Then let me show you now that I'm for real  
If all things in time, time will reveal_**

_**Chorus**_  
_**One: you're like a dream come true**_  
_**Two: just want to be with you**_  
_**Three: girl, it's plain to see that you're the only one for me**_  
_**Four: repeat steps one through three**_  
_**Five: make you fall in love with me**_  
_**If ever I believe my work is done, then I start back at one (yeah)**_

_**So incredible the way things work themselves out**_  
_**And all emotional once you know what it's all about babe**_  
_**And undesirable for us to be apart**_  
_**Never would have made it very far**_  
_**Because you know that you got the keys to my heart**_  
_**Because**_

_**Chorus**_  
_**One: you're like a dream come true**_  
_**Two: just want to be with you**_  
_**Three: girl, it's plain to see that you're the only one for me**_  
_**Four: repeat steps one through three**_  
_**Five: make you fall in love with me**_  
_**If ever I believe my work is done, then I start back at one**_

_**Say farewell to the dark night, I see the coming of the sun**_  
_**I feel like a little child whose life has just begun**_  
_**You came and breathed new life**_  
_**Into this lonely heart of mine**_  
_**You threw out the life line just in the nick of time!**_

_**Chorus**_  
_**One: you're like a dream come true**_  
_**Two: just want to be with you**_  
_**Three: girl, it's plain to see that you're the only one for me**_  
_**Four: repeat steps one through three**_  
_**Five: make you fall in love with me**_  
_**If ever I believe my work is done, then I start back at one**_

When the song ended, Mackenzie wrapped her arms around Liam's neck, kissing him deeply. Liam smiled against her lips and returned her kiss. After a few minutes, he stepped back, reluctantly breaking the kiss and wiping her tears away with his thumbs. It was quiet between them, the only sounds being the beating of their hearts, the waves hitting the shore and the sea gulls.

Finally, Mackenzie said, "Thank you, Liam. I really liked the surprise."

"I'm glad you did, love."

"I don't know what I did to deserve you," Mackenzie said. "But, I'm glad that you're back in my life."

Liam smiled. "I think I know what you did, you stole my heart and took my breath away." He got a little closer and rested his forehead against hers. "And I'm glad you're back in my life as well." He kissed her again, exploring her mouth with his tongue and hearing her soft moans.

"Can we go someplace where we won't get caught?" she asked once they parted their lips. He nodded and grabbed his guitar then took her hand, and they left the beach, getting back into his car, where he stored his guitar away in the very back of the car.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked as he started the engine of the car, waiting for her response as he began driving in no general direction.

Mackenzie got an idea. "I got it! We can go to the lake house."

"When you say that, are you talking about the Gilbert family lake house?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Mackenzie said. "Grandpa Grayson doesn't use it anymore, but he just had it remodeled a few years ago. My parents used to take us there every summer, except for last year, when we went to Hawaii instead." She smiled. "We'll have all the privacy in the world there; our only little hideaway."

Liam nodded. "All right, if that's where you want to go, then we'll go there."

**Gilbert Lake House – Several Hours Later**…

Liam pulled the car to a stop in front of the lake house, remembering the first time he saw Mackenzie nearly naked. She had been skinny-dipping in the lake, and his parents were in the house talking to Damon and Elena.

_**Flashback – Gilbert Lake House, 6 Years Ago**…_

_Liam walked outside, hoping to get away from baby-sitting duty. It wasn't that he didn't like watching his younger siblings, which he did, but he needed space in which to create. Once he got outside, he saw Mackenzie swimming around in the lake. When he looked closer, he saw that she didn't have a suit on, which made his eyes bulge and his member harden against his will._

_END OF FLASHBACK_...

Mackenzie saw that Liam was quiet. "Liam, are you here with me or are you somewhere else?"

Liam shook his head. "Oh, sorry, I just had a flashback to a particular memory I had about you." He smiled at her. "And it was a very beautiful memory at that."

Mackenzie blushed as she figured out which memory he was talking about. It was the one where he had seen her skinny-dipping in the lake. She then smiled at him. "Yes, I remember that day as well. You were so cute the way you tried to deny seeing me like that." She sighed. "Too bad it's getting cold out, or I'd suggest that we go skinny-dipping."

She ran up to the house but he quickly followed behind her capturing her between the doors to the foyer and the living room, pinning her against the wall with his hard body. "Do you know how much I want you right now?" he growled down at her and Mackenzie nodded, pulling his head down to fuse their lips together, moaning as their tongues collided.

Liam growled playfully against her lips as the kiss deepened. He missed this more than he'd like to admit, and now that he was experiencing it again, it was driving him crazy. Mackenzie jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing him even deeper. Unable to take it anymore, Liam carried her upstairs to the master bedroom, kicking the door shut with his boot. He then carried her over to the bed, where he deposited her onto the cool sheets, following after her and pulling his jacket off, throwing it onto the floor. Mackenzie pulled his shirt off and threw it onto the floor by his discarded jacket, leaving his lips to kiss his chest, earning her a groan from him.

Liam helped her off with her jacket and then her shirt and bra, licking his lips at her perfect breasts. He gently took one in his hand and licked the nipple with his tongue. Mackenzie felt his hot breath on her skin and arched her back, letting out a scream of pleasure, panting as the sound grew louder. Hearing her screams, Liam smiled against her breast.

"That's it, love," he whispered. "Scream for me; let me know that I'm driving you crazy right now."

Mackenzie trembled at his whispered words of encouragement, letting out another scream, reaching her hands until they came upon his belt, undoing it and then went for the button and zipper of his jeans, pulling them off and tossing them on the floor. Liam did the same with her jeans, kissing his way down her body to her belly button, licking it playfully with his tongue.

Mackenzie groaned at the feel of it all. "Liam, please…"

"Please what, sweetheart?" Liam said, his blue eyes glazed over with lust and love. "Tell me what you want."

"Don't tease me," Mackenzie pleaded. "Please, I want you in me."

Liam licked his lips. "As you wish, my queen," he said hoarsely.

That being said, he removed her jeans and panties, as well as his boxers, grabbed her hips and drove his erection into her, groaning as he felt her tight, wet heat all around him, thrusting slowly at first so that she could adjust to him and then gradually picking up speed. Mackenzie keeps her hips in time with his thrusts, keeping in sync with his movements as she pulled him down for a scorching kiss that ignited a fire within their souls. Feeling herself getting close, she pulled away and let out a scream so loud that she thought her vocal chords would shatter, Liam following suit half a beat later.

Once they both came down from their high, Liam collapsed gently onto Mackenzie then rolled to his back before gently rolling her until her back was to his front, kissing her shoulder gently. "I missed these moments with you," she said in a soft murmur as his breath tickled her hair.

Liam smiled, kissing her shoulder again. "I did too." He then ran his fingers through her hair, which felt like black velvet against his skin. "You're even more beautiful than ever."

Mackenzie giggled. "And you're even sexier than ever." She sighed happily. "Who'd have guessed that the one for me was there in front of me all along and I never knew it until now?" She turned slightly and looked at him. "Why did we break up in the first place, Liam? Why didn't we just stay together?"

"We were too young to be tied to each other at the time, so we thought we'd take a break for a while and see other people," Liam said. "Then, if we found that we still loved each other, we'd find each other again. But, if we didn't, then we'd still be friends and support each other, no matter who we ended up with."

Mackenzie nodded. "I guess that's true." She smiled. "I'm glad it was the former and not the latter, because like I said at Jacques' bar, I never stopped loving you. You were my first love, Liam, and the love of my life. I thought Riley was the love of my life, but it turned out to be you all along." She shook her head. "I'm rambling, aren't I? I never did learn how to control that."

"I think you're adorable when you ramble," Liam said. "In fact, everything about you is adorable. No, wait, you're past the adorable stage. Now, you're sinfully gorgeous."

She began to laugh and burrowed her head into his shoulder to muffle the sound. Mackenzie then felt him leave the bed and rolled over to see what he was doing, shocked at the sight of the ring he held in his hands. "Liam…what are you doing?" she asked with a soft gasp.

"Mackenzie Veronica Salvatore, I come to you today as a man, nothing more, nothing less, to ask you if you will do me the great honor of becoming my wife," he said as he knelt down beside her in the bed.

"Yes. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes…I will marry you, Liam Niklaus Mikaelson!" she exclaimed, pulling him down for a kiss before he pulled back so he could place the ring on her finger then kissed the knuckles.

Liam smiled at her. "I love you so much, Mackenzie, and I'll make you the happiest woman in the world." He placed his hand on her belly, kissing it gently. "And I promise you that I'll be a good father to this little one."

Mackenzie felt tears stinging her eyes. "I know you will, I have no doubt of it." She laughed despite the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. "Wait until my parents hear about this. They're going to be so surprised."

"I know they will be," he replied, pulling her over him after placing the box that was now empty on the nightstand. "And I look forward to the day that I can call you Mackenzie Mikaelson."

Mackenzie smiled. "I do too. Mackenzie Mikaelson, that has a nice ring to it." She kissed him softly. "And I also think Aunt Care and Uncle Nik will be just as surprised, even though you told me that they already knew that there was still something between us." She giggled. "Wow, I'm going to have to learn not to call them that anymore. After all, I'm going to be their daughter-in-law one of these days."

"I'm sure they won't mind if you accidentally call them that once in a while," Liam said. "I call your parents Uncle Damon and Aunt Elena sometimes." Getting an idea, he reached over and grabbed his cell phone. "You know what? Let's not wait to tell them. Why don't we call them now?"

"You want to call them right now?" Mackenzie said. "But, Liam…"

"If not now, then when?"

Mackenzie nodded. He had a point. There was really no sense in waiting, especially when they were this excited about their engagement. She grabbed her cell phone and watched as Liam dialed his home number. After several rings, Liam heard his adopted brother, Sebastian, on the other end. "Liam?"

"Bas, hi; are Mother and Father there? I need to talk to them."

Sebastian nodded on his end. "Sure, I'll get them." He called to Klaus and Caroline and then Liam heard his mother pick up, obviously curious about why her eldest son was calling like this.

"Hi, Liam," she said. "Sebastian said that you needed to talk to me and your father."

"I did," Liam said. "Mother, I've asked Mackenzie to marry me, and she said yes."

"That's great, honey," Caroline said. "Damon and Elena will be surprised to hear that, I'm sure. I always knew that you'd end up with Mackenzie, even though you also loved Aubrey.

"I did love Aubrey, yes, but it wasn't she same as the love I have for Mackenzie," Liam said. "I didn't want to waste a second, because I knew that fate was giving me this second chance to be with my first love."

Mackenzie listened as he told Caroline the news. As much as she wanted to tell Damon and Elena the news, she wanted to wait until Liam was done telling his.

"So, you're approving?" Liam asked his mother.

"Yes, darling, I approve of the engagement. Please go call your future in-laws!" Caroline demanded before turning to the audience in front of her. "We have a wedding to help plan!"

Liam smiled as he hung up the phone. "Well, my side has approved. Better call your parents, love."

Mackenzie nodded at his suggestion and dialed her parents' number, biting her lip as she waited for someone to pick up. Finally, she heard Damon pick up on the other end. "Mackenzie?"

"Hi, Daddy," she replied. "Listen, um, I've got some news for you. Are you in the same room with Mom? I want her to hear this too."

She heard some shuffling in the background, as well as her father calling for her mother. Then, Damon said when he picked up again, "Okay, sweetheart, we're here. Now, what's the news?"

"Daddy, Liam proposed!"

Elena then took the phone from her husband. "He did? Oh, Mackenzie, darling, that's wonderful! Even though I'm disappointed about Riley, I'm glad that you have Liam. He always did love you. So, have you told his parents yet?"

"We just did, actually," Mackenzie said. "They approved."

"Well, if they approve of it, so do we," Elena said. "We love you, Mackenzie. You and Liam deserve every ounce of happiness in the world." She hung up and said to her husband, "Damon, call Stefan and tell him that we have a wedding to plan."

He nodded but pulled his wife close to him. "Our little girl is growing up so fast," he said in a choked voice.

"Oh, Damon, we knew this day would come eventually," Elena reminded him as she snuggled into her husband's arms.

Damon nodded. "Yeah, I know. It's just that I still picture her as a little girl running around here in coveralls and pigtails. Now, she's going to be wearing a wedding gown. That's an image that's going to take a while to get used to."

Finally he sighed and, kissing his wife, excused himself from the room to call Stefan and tell him about Mackenzie's engagement. He took out his cell phone and dialed his brother's number, waiting somewhat patiently for him to pick up. Finally, he heard Stefan pick up on the other end. "Damon? What's going on?"

"Are you sitting down, brother? I've got some exciting news to tell you," he replied. "Mackenzie just called us a few minutes ago. She's engaged."

"Engaged?" Stefan said. "Who did she get engaged to, Riley?"

Damon rolled his eyes at his reply. "No, you idiot, she's engaged to Liam; Riley's no longer in the picture. And, as much as I don't like saying it because I'm still grateful to him for helping us when Mackenzie got kidnapped, I'm glad that he's out of her life."

"Liam? Wow, that's…that's great," Stefan said. "Do Klaus and Caroline know about this?"

"They do," Damon said. "They called them before they called us."

"So, I guess this means there's going to be another wedding, huh?" Stefan said. "I just can't believe it. I mean, it seems like yesterday that Mackenzie was running around in coveralls and pigtails."

"Don't remind me," Damon said. "I'm still trying to adjust to the fact that my little girl will be wearing a wedding gown." He sighed. "We'll definitely have to invite our half-sisters to the wedding, since I'm sure they'd like to see their niece."

"I was just thinking that same thing," Stefan said. "Well, I appreciate you telling me, Damon. Rebekah is going to love this when I tell her."

He hung up and felt his green eyes welling up with tears.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Carrie reunites with Liam, her former boyfriend from high school. Things get even better when he asks her to marry him._**

**Chapter Eight**

**St. Joseph Good Samaritan Memorial Hospital – Two Weeks Later**…

Liam and Carrie arrived at the hospital to visit Aubrey. Even though they were in the midst of planning their wedding, they didn't want to forget her. Liam noticed that Carrie had her hand – the hand with the ring on it – tucked into her pocket. "Why are you hiding your hand, love?"

"I just…don't want to show Aubrey," she replied. "I know she's responsible for making this possible, but…"

"All the more reason for you to show her," Liam said. "She's not going to get upset, Carrie. If anything, she'll be happy for us."

Carrie nodded and removed her hand from her pocket. When they arrived at Aubrey's room, they noticed that Riley was there; great, just what this situation didn't need, an awkward moment between exes. Riley saw Carrie with her hand in the crook of Liam's arm. "Well, isn't this a cozy picture?"

"I'd behave yourself if I were you, mate," Liam said. "Wouldn't want to cause a scene, especially not three feet from where your sick sister is."

Riley sneered at the Brit and then looked at Carrie. "You didn't wait too long to replace me, did you?" He noticed the ring on her finger and looked at Liam again. "What the hell did you do?"

"I asked Carrie to marry me, that's what I did," Liam said. "She needs a man, which you obviously are not."

Riley wanted to say something in his defense, but nothing came. Growling, he walked away. He was in the mood for a cigarette, something he went for whenever he was angry or just upset in general.

He called Penny but when she didn't answer, he decided to go find her, knowing that she would be at home.

Penny had been getting ready for work when she heard a loud knock at her door and when she opened it, she saw Riley standing there and when she smiled at him, she saw that he wasn't smiling back, causing her own to fade. "Riley, are you okay?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he replied, his tone rather harsh. "Just let me in."

Penny gulped and opened the door further, letting him in. She didn't know why he was suddenly like this. She closed the door behind him and followed him to the living room, where she gently grabbed his arm, causing him to look at her. "Riley, talk to me," she said. "Did something happen?"

Riley growled and approached her, roughly grabbing her arms and pushing her against the wall. "I said I didn't want to talk about it."

Penny gulped again. "Okay, okay, we don't have to talk about him." She felt his tight grip on her arms. "Riley, let go, you're hurting me."

He felt his anger dissipating and he looked down before letting her go. Riley turned away and began to pace back and forth across the space of the living room, his eyes meeting his girlfriend's on occasion. "Carrie went back to Liam, and now they're engaged," he finally told her.

Penny blinked, not sure what to think about what he just said. "What? I thought Liam was with Aubrey?"

"Not anymore, he's not. As you can tell, I'm not happy about it."

"I can tell, but I'm still her cousin and her friend, Riley," Penny said as she brushed her dark hair out of her eyes as she looked up at him.

Riley nodded. "I know you are, Penny, even though she's not talking to you anymore. I just…had a hard time seeing Carrie and Liam together, you know? You have no idea how much I wanted to punch him, but because I was three feet away from Aubrey's door, I had to force myself to calm down." He ran a hand through his hair. "I know I should be happy, but why the hell am I having a hard time accepting it?"

"You'll accept it if you care about Carrie, Riley. She's still your friend, and I'm sure she'll need you in her life still," Penny told him softly. She walked over to him and stopped him from pacing anymore. "Come on; I know what you need." She pulled him behind her and he trailed reluctantly along, wondering what she could be up to.

**St. Joseph Good Samaritan Hospital – That Same Moment**…

Aubrey admired Carrie's ring and smiled. Liam had just told her that they were engaged and although she was a bit surprised by the news, she was happy for them. She hadn't been lying when she said that Liam and Carrie had a history together and that they still loved each other. Hearing about their engagement was proof that they were destined to be together all along. "I'm so happy for you guys," she said. "I only wish that I could see you get married."

"You'll be there in spirit, Aubrey," Carrie said. "I overheard you saying to Liam that you'll be our guardian angel." She smiled. "I have an idea. I'd like to make you the baby's godmother."

Liam smiled as well. "That's a great idea, love." He looked at Aubrey. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"I do," Aubrey said. "I'd be honored to be the baby's godmother. And I think it would be great if you make Riley the godfather." Her smile faded. "That is, if he's willing. I heard what he said outside."

"He's in shock, Aubrey," Liam said. "He'll come around eventually, I think."

"I know, but he's still my brother. And as you both know, family comes before/above anything else," Aubrey said. "I'll talk to him and let you both know in a couple of days, okay? Come back and see me!"

Liam nodded. "Sure." He took Carrie's hand. "Come on, love."

Carrie nodded as well, giving Aubrey one final hug before she and Liam walked out of the room.

**Later On – The Studio**…

Andrea sat on the couch working on some algebra homework while Dante put some of the photos of the clients he'd had earlier in the day. She felt him staring at her and glanced over to see a smile on his face. "What is that smile for?" she asked as she returned it.

"That smile was for you, Andy," Dante said, calling her by the new nickname he had given her last week. "You're beautiful when you're concentrating on your studies." Clearing his throat, he added, "Oh, and I've got some news. It seems that there's going to be another wedding in the works, not just ours."

"There is?" Andrea said. "Whose wedding is it?"

"Liam and Carrie's," Dante said. "My dad called and said he heard from Uncle Damon that Carrie and Liam got engaged two weeks ago."

"They did?" Andrea said. "That's awesome! Though, I don't know why Carrie didn't mention anything about it to me."

"She probably wanted to tell the immediate family first," Dante said. "Though, I can't say that I'm surprised. I mean, Liam and Carrie weren't just high school sweethearts. They've been destined for each other since they were toddlers. Nona even predicted that one day, they'd get married."

She nodded then crooked her finger at him and he gave her a smirk as he finished off what he'd been doing before going over to her and settled in behind her, his arms wrapping around her shoulders in a loose hold, kissing the side of her head affectionately. "And did your Nona predict that we'd be together one day?" she asked as she smiled and snuggled back against him.

"Actually, she did," he replied as his fingers stroked up and down her arms before linking with hers after she set her pencil down within her school book.

Andrea smiled. "Your Nona is a great lady."

Dante nodded. "She is. I love her." He kissed her. "I love you too."

"I love you too, Dante Salvatore," Andrea replied.

They kissed again but were then interrupted by the arrival of Liam and Carrie as they came through the front door of the studio, kissing. "Ahem," Dante said as he cleared his throat to get their attention.

Liam heard Dante clearing his throat and looked at him. "Why did you do that for, mate? I'm trying to kiss my fiancé."

"She may be your fiancé, Liam, but she's also my cousin," Dante said. "If you're going to do any funny stuff, don't do it here."

Carrie rolled her eyes. "We weren't going to do anything here, Dante. Liam and I were going to go to his place."

Liam looked at her. "Don't you mean OUR place, love?"

Carrie took her eyes off Dante when she heard him say that. "Liam, are you asking me to move in with you?"

"That's exactly what I'm asking," Liam said. "In fact, I've started work on the nursery. I figured that if I start now, it'll be ready by the time the baby gets her. I haven't painted it because you're still in your first trimester and the gender usually isn't known until the middle of the second trimester, so…"

Carrie smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Liam Niklaus Mikaelson, you don't have to explain, because my answer is yes." She kissed him and then looked at Dante. "I hope you don't mind that I'm going to be living here, Dante."

"It's no skin off my nose," Dante said. "But only as long as you keep the funny business as far away from the studio as possible."

Andrea playfully punched his arm. "Dante, be nice. They're in love, just like we are."

Dante playfully rolled his eyes then quickly kissed her on the lips. "I know they are. But she is family and so is he," he said.

Andrea smiled and returned his kiss. Before she could say anything, Gavin was seen coming in, Maria on his arm. They had been away on a romantic vacation in Hilton Head Island and had just returned. Maria noticed Carrie with Liam and was a bit confused. "Liam, why is Carrie here?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear cousin, you missed so much," he replied with a smile. "You see, Carrie and I got engaged two weeks ago, and I've asked her to move in with me." He placed a hand on her belly. "She's also pregnant, and even though the baby isn't mine, I still love it as if it was mine."

Maria then gave Gavin a stern look. "I told you this was a bad time to go away, but you had to insist on it."

Gavin laughed slightly. "Well, we know about it now, and that's what should really matter, right?"

Andrea looked at her brother and nodded toward the kitchen. He returned her nod and she left the loose embrace that Dante had had around her before they head to the kitchen together. "Gavin, Dante and I have decided that we want you to be the one there when we elope. We don't want a big wedding, and Mom & Dad already know, so would you please be the devoted big brother and give me away?" she asked with a shy smile.

Her brother pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Of course I will, Andrea Grace," he replied as he kissed the top of her head again before pulling back when Maria came into the room.

Maria looked at the others in the room and before she could say anything, she heard the door opening and closing and looked to see Riley walking in. She walked out and was about to say something to him when Liam beat her to it, having noticed the condition that Riley's clothes were in. Carrie had gone up to their apartment to lie down, having told him that she was tired. "Anything you wish to share with the rest of the class, mate?"

Riley gave the Brit a stern look. "Liam, I want to tell you that I may have overreacted when I saw that you proposed to Carrie. I guess that even though she and I broke up for good, I still care about her and it was a bit of a shock for me. I'm sorry if I said or did anything that made me come off as a jerk."

"You did act a bit childish," Liam said. "But, I suppose I could forgive you." He cleared his throat. "Did Aubrey talk to you yet?"

"She called me while I was at Penny's," Riley said. "She told me that you and Carrie spoke with her after I left. Apparently, you guys said something about wanting me to be the godfather to your baby."

"That's right, we did discuss that," Liam said. "Aubrey said she'd talk to you and that she'd get back to us in a couple of days."

He nodded as he tried to get himself in order. Finally, he stood and gestured for Liam to walk over to him, grabbing him in an unexpected hug. "I'm sorry for getting angry at you and Carrie," he said softly to the other man, who nodded.

Liam hugged him back. "It's all right, mate. I know you didn't mean it." He smiled as he got an idea. "How would you like to be my best man?"

Riley smiled back. "I'd like that."

Carrie looked at Andrea. "And I'd love it if you would be my maid of honor," she told the brunette, who grinned and nodded.

Carrie smiled and hugged Andrea. "Thank you, Andrea. You're a great friend. And I wish you and Dante all the happiness in the world."

"The same goes for you and Liam, Carrie," Andrea said as she was rejoined by Dante, sitting up again so he could scoot in behind her.

Carrie was about to answer her when her phone rang. She looked at the ID and saw Penny's number. Curious, she picked it up and pressed SEND. "Hello?"

"Carrie, this is Penny."

"Hi, Penny," Carrie said. "What's going on?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry that our relationship has been a bit strained," Penny said. "I'd like for us to salvage it, if that's all right."

"I'd like that too, Penny," Carrie said. "The baby will like it too."

From outside the studio door, Penny nodded before knocking gently. Carrie heard it through the phone and quickly rushed to answer it, pulling her cousin into an instant hug.

Carrie sniffed as she and Penny hugged. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Carrie," Penny replied as she sniffed.

Liam saw the two girls hugging and went over to them after getting out of the hug he and Riley were in just a few short minutes ago. He joined in the hug by wrapped his arms around Carrie from behind. "It's good to see you back in the fold, Penny. At least the baby will know that it's going to have stability when it's born."

Penny smiled. "I'm glad to be back, Liam; I want to be here for both of the babies," she said with another smile at Andrea and Dante.

Carrie nodded. "And we're glad that you wanted to be there for them, Penny. You're family, and family is the most important thing, for all of us."

Liam nodded as well, kissing Carrie's cheek. "I couldn't have said it better myself, love."

Andrea waved for Penny to come over and waited until she was sitting on the corner of the coffee table. "We would love it if you would be the godmother for our baby, and Gavin can be the godfather," she told the other girl, who nodded eagerly and hugged Andrea gently.

While Penny was talking to Andrea and Gavin, Liam took Carrie up to the apartment, because he wanted to show her the nursery. When they got there, he placed his hand over her eyes so that it wouldn't spoil the surprise. He removed it when he opened the door and said, "What do you think?"

Carrie was in complete awe of the work Liam had done. "Liam, it's perfect! I love it!" She wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing his cheek. "I know that it's not completely done yet, but it's really great so far. Our baby is going to be so comfortable in here."

"Yes," Liam said. "And when we find out the gender in another three months, I'll be able to paint it."

Carrie looked at him curiously. "Liam, what are you hoping for, a boy or a girl?"

"Well, a boy would be great, but I'll also be happy with a girl," Liam said. "Of course, with you as the mother, it doesn't matter. The only thing that does matter is that the baby will be healthy and loved by both of us."

"I think, for names, I'd like to have Alexander or Alexandria," she told him with a smile as she snuggled into his arms.

"Those are great names," Liam said as he kissed the side of her head.

Carrie smiled. "I know you would like them."

"I do like them," he said as they stood there admiring the nursery.

Downstairs, Penny and Riley decided to watch a movie in his part of the studio apartment while Andrea and Dante worked on her homework and Maria and Gavin made dinner for everyone that was gathered.

Gavin looked at Maria as they were cooking. "Have you heard from your brother lately?"

Maria shook her head. "No, I haven't, which is odd, considering how he usually calls me every day. But, I suppose he's busy with Tanya and forgot about it."

As if on cue, her cell phone rings and Gavin answers it but holds it up to her ear so she can talk. "Hi, sis, I'm sorry about not calling," he told her and she smiled.

"Its okay, Colin, but you never miss any days," she said into the phone, smiling at her boyfriend as he took over the cooking so she could take the phone herself.

Colin sighed on the other end. "I know, but there was a bit of a situation with Tanya. She hasn't been feeling well lately and I had to take her to the doctor. She kept telling me that it was nothing, but it became clear when the test results came back."

Maria blinked, confused by her brother's explanation. "Test results? What test results? I don't get it."

"Tanya's pregnant, Maria."

"She's WHAT?" Maria said, her voice volume going up a few notches despite trying not to raise it because Riley and Penny were watching a movie and Liam and Carrie were having some private time. "Who's the father?"

"I don't know, she didn't tell me anything," Colin said. "Maria, I'm thinking of breaking up with her."

"No, Colin, don't," Maria said. "That baby may not be yours, but Tanya is going to need you to be there for her. If you love Tanya, you'll help her raise that child, do you hear me?"

Colin sighs again. "Alright, I'll help her," he said in a reluctant tone.

Maria nodded. "Good. I know that it's not going to be easy for you, or for Tanya, but you know that I'm right."

He lets another sigh pass his lips before he finally ends the call, looking over at his girlfriend curled up beneath the bed covers.

Tanya groaned as she woke up, looking at Colin. "Was that Maria on the phone?"

"Yes, I called her to tell her about the baby," he said softly as he put his cell phone on the nightstand beside him.

Tanya nodded. "Colin, I think I should tell you why this happened. The guy who fathered my baby is the same guy who fathered Carrie's."

"Luke Garrison?" Colin said. "Why?"

"I distracted him so that Carrie could get away from him the morning after she slept with him."

Colin nodded as he reached out and stroked a few strands of her dark hair away from her face. "Maria told me that I should help you raise the baby, even though it isn't mine," he told her as he moved until he pressed his lips to her forehead.

Tanya smiled as she felt him kissing her forehead. "I'd like that." She sighed. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you right away."

"I know. But it doesn't matter now," Colin said. "I'm going to be right her with you." He lifted her chin and then kissed her lips gently. "I love you, Tanya."

"I love you too, Colin."

**Meanwhile**…

Tatia returned from exercising with some girlfriends from work to find her ex waiting on the doorstep. "This isn't a good time, Tyler," she said as she moved gracefully past him to open the door with the keychain she was jingling in her hands but he blocked her entrance. "I mean it, Tyler; I have a date coming in half an hour."

Tyler gave her his signature smirk. "That gives me more than enough time to do this," he said before capturing her mouth with his.

But Tatia immediately shoved him away. "You're sick, Tyler, and that also makes you a cheater," she spat before shoving him out of the way to get into her apartment.

Tyler wasn't fazed by what Tatia was saying. Instead, he smirked at her as he followed her into the apartment. "That's not what you said when we were together. Besides, Meghan doesn't know I'm here."

"That still doesn't make it okay for you to be here," Tatia said. "Now, before I have to call security, I want you out of here."

She was about to walk away, but Tyler grabbed her and pulled her closer to him, kissing her and moaning against her mouth. However, Tatia wasn't about to take this. She bit his lip and kicked him in the groin, hearing him yell out in pain before tossing him out of the apartment and locking the door so that he wouldn't get in.

Tyler forced his way in after the pain went away, and Tatia had an angry look on her face when he barged into her bedroom and she had nothing on but a towel for her shower. He pushed her back against the wall, his mouth crashing down to hers and his tongue forcing its way past her lips until she went lax in his arms. Then he was tearing the towel away from her body and lifting her until her legs wrapped around his waist and carrying her into the bathroom.

Tatia moaned against Tyler's mouth as they continued to kiss. She knew that she shouldn't be enjoying this, but deep down, she was. Even though Tyler had walked out on her and Tanya, part of her still loved him while another part wished he would die a violent death and be sent to hell for his infidelity.

**In the Meantime**…

Meghan had just waved her goodbyes to a client from the front door of her home when a car pulled up and out stepped Mason Lockwood. "No. You are not allowed to be here," she spat out at him.

"On the contrary, I have every right to be here," he said as he approached her.

Meghan scowled at him. "If Tyler finds out…"

"Tyler isn't here, so he can't stop me," Mason said. "Now, Meghan, I believe you and I have some unfinished business."

She sighed but allowed him to come into the mansion anyway, because it was the polite thing to do. As soon as she had closed the door, though, her arms were wrapping around Mason's neck and his were going around her waist, their mouths immediately meeting in a hungry, demanding kiss as he backed them into the wall that came just before the foyer turned into the living room.

Back at Donovan Studio, Liam and Carrie laughed as they returned from looking at the nursery. Liam was definitely excited, both about his impending marriage and his impending fatherhood. Calming himself down, he said to his fiancé, "I know this sounds like its last-minute, but my parents are going to be renewing their vows for their anniversary and I was wondering…"

"You were wondering if I'd like to be your date?" she replied. "I'd love to."

"That's great," Liam said. "My siblings and I are going to be involved in the ceremony and it would make it even more enjoyable if I had the woman I love there with me."

Over on the couch, Dante was helping Andrea with her homework still when she looked up at him. "What are your parents doing for your birthday?" she asked him softly.

"They've been going back and forth about having it or not having it," he replied.

Liam overheard their conversation. "I think you should have it. You're only twenty-one once." He saw the look on Andrea's face. "Oh, don't give me that look, love. I wasn't going to suggest getting drunk."

"You better not. I don't want him around me when he comes home," she said with a frown as she got up and moved out of Dante's arms then huffed her way up the stairs to their part of the apartment.

Dante put her school books aside then sent a glare to Liam before following after his girlfriend and finding her upstairs in the bedroom. "Andrea, he didn't mean anything by it, sweetheart," he said as he joined her on the bed.

Andrea turned her back to him, tears stinging her eyes but she quickly wiped them away.

Maria scowled at her cousin after Dante and Andrea left. "Liam, why did you have go and say that for?"

"I didn't mean it," he replied. "I was joking."

"Yes, but she's pregnant," Maria said. "One important thing about pregnant women you need to understand is that they have mood swings, and you have to be careful what you say and do around them." She nodded at Carrie. "So, you might want to take that into consideration so that you don't get into trouble with Carrie."

Liam nodded as he looked at his fiancé, who had gone into the room that Riley and Penny were sitting in. "I'll definitely remember that."

Back upstairs, Andrea turned around until she met Dante's eyes.

Dante smiled at her. "Are you feeling better, baby?"

"A little, yes," she replied. "I just…wasn't amused by what Liam said, that's all. I know he didn't mean it, but he shouldn't have said it."

"Yeah, I know," Dante said, placing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "But, I guess he'll learn that he has to be careful what he says and does around pregnant women." He sighed. "I think we should forgive him, even if he was a little out of line."

Andrea nodded. "I think so too."

"Okay, then let's go back downstairs to apologize," he suggested as he got up then turned his back to her.

"Dante, I'm too old for piggy-back rides!" she protested but climbed onto his back anyway and he carried her down like that.

Liam saw Dante and Andrea, a smile on his face. "Andrea, love, I'm sorry if I did or said anything to upset you."

"It's okay. I'm partially to blame. I am an expectant woman after all. It comes with the territory," Andrea said with a smile as she stayed where she was.

**Author's Note:** Well, I decided to end it there and express how tormented I am about tonight's Vampire Diaries episode!


	9. Chapter 9

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Carrie reunites with Liam, her former boyfriend from high school. Things get even better when he asks her to marry him._**

**Author's Note:** To the guest who asked, we changed her name to 'Carrie' for story purposes. My co-writer and I are okay with the name change; we hope you are too!

**Chapter Nine**

**Donovan Photography Studio (from last chapter)**…

"It's okay. I'm partially to blame. I am an expectant woman aver all. It comes with the territory," Andrea said with a smile as she stayed where she was.

Liam nodded. "Well, at least I'll know to be careful what to say or do around Carrie, but at the same time, I'll be sure to do things to make her smile."

Carrie leaned over the couch just then and smiled at the group. "What would you do to make me smile, Liam Mikaelson?" she asked as she kissed him soundly.

Liam nodded and returned her kiss. "I would leave love notes on your pillow, a vase of flowers on your bedside table and I'd even sing for you; all in that order," he replied. He kissed her again. "The last thing I want is for my girl to be upset because of something I did or said."

Carrie kissed him back. "You're too good to me, you know that? How did I get so lucky?"

Maria playfully glared at them. "Oh, I think Liam is the lucky one in this case."

All the girls giggled after Penny came up with Riley's arms around her. "I think we all are," the girls said in unison, all smiling at the same time.

Liam, Riley, Gavin, and Dante all smiled when they heard their significant others saying how lucky they were.

**Later**…

Dante carried Andrea up the stairs when she fell asleep. They had all had dinner then stuck around to watch a movie before Maria and Gavin left the other three couples alone. Placing Andrea gently on the bed, Dante removed her sneakers then pulled the covers out from beneath her, putting them over her and smiling as he watched her take the covers and curl up beneath them.

Downstairs, Carrie snuggled up in Liam's arms, yawning. Liam smiled as he saw her yawn. "Are you tired, love?"

Carrie nodded and Liam picked her up, carrying her to their room, laying her down gently on the bed before climbing in with her, kissing her softly.

Back downstairs, Riley picked Penny up in his arms then gently eased the door open to his downstairs bedroom, carrying her into it and laying her down, putting the covers over her. He reached up and stroked a tendril of her dark hair out of her face, and was about to leave her alone when he felt her strong fingers grip tightly around his wrist. "Don't go; I don't want to wake up alone," she said softly when he turned to look at her.

Riley smiled at Penny and returned to her, climbing into bed with her. "Don't worry, Penny. I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here."

Penny returned his smile and cuddled up next to him.

**The Next Morning**…

Andrea eased the door open to Riley's room, Dante right behind her and he quickly snapped a photo of the other couple before they slipped right back out the door before the two could wake up.

Andrea covered her mouth to stifle a laugh as she closed the door. "We are so going to get in trouble for this when they see the picture you took of them."

Dante smiled. "I know, but it was just too adorable to resist." His eyes twinkled as he added, "How about we take Liam and Carrie's picture next?"

Andrea nodded and they went in the direction of Liam and Carrie's room.

When they got there, they could hear soft giggles coming from Carrie and "Shh!" coming from Liam. They opened the door and the other couple jumped out and both said 'BOO!'

Dante rolled his eyes. "And here I thought you were asleep."

Liam smiled at his friend. "You thought wrong, mate. Unlike Riley and Penny, Carrie and I are a lot sneakier than you might think." He looked at Carrie. "Isn't that right, love?"

"Right," Carrie said. "We do commend your efforts, though." She laughed. "You should've seen the looks on your faces. That was priceless!"

"Very funny, Carrie Veronica," Dante said. "I guess I should've known that you take after Uncle Damon and you like to turn my tricks around and use them against me."

Carrie smirked. "Consider that payback for taking my doll when I was little."

"What doll? I don't remember taking your doll," he said with a teasing grin and Andrea smacked his chest.

"That was how Carrie and I first became friends. Gavin took mine and you took Carrie's," she reminded her boyfriend with a smile.

When it dawned on him what she was referring to, Dante laughed. "Oh, that doll. Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I was a kid then, I didn't know any better. Later, my dad made me give it back, and Uncle Matt made Gavin give Andrea's back to her."

Liam laughed as well. "I remember doing that same thing to Anastasia when she was two, only it wasn't a doll, it was one of her favorite stuffed animals, a rabbit, I think. She got so furious at me that things turned physical. I was four years old at the time and while I was stronger than her, Ana was angrier. She scratched and bit me until I finally gave her rabbit back to her. I ran to Mother afterward and showed her my arms. There was blood, even though the marks weren't too deep."

"Aw, my poor baby," Carrie said, kissing him. "I guess I'll have to remember to always stay on Ana's good side, huh?"

**Meanwhile**…

Anastasia tackled her opponent in her karate class down and gave the male a smirk, which he returned. She got up then let her hand reach out to help the other person up, and he took her offering, clapping her on the back as she heard her parents cheering her on from the stands.

Caroline noticed the smirk on Klaus' face. "What's that smirk for, Nik?"

"I think our little girl fancies that boy down there," her husband replied. "I saw the way she was smirking at him as she pinned him down."

Caroline then noticed how Anastasia was looking at the boy she had tackled and then helped up. It looked like she was flirting with him. "You're right, she does like him. Well, I guess I can't blame her. I mean, he is kind of cute. He doesn't seem to attract any of the other girls in the class except for Ana."

"Sure seems like it," Klaus said. "We should have him over for dinner and get a better idea of where this little romance is headed."

Caroline nodded. "Well, let's not do anything until we've talked to Ana first. She may not like us interfering."

Klaus nodded as well. "Good idea, love. It wouldn't be right to plan this without consulting with her."

They smiled at their oldest daughter when she finally came over. "I saw you two glancing over at me and Jasper and I wanted to assure you that he's perfectly harmless," she said with a shake of her dark-blonde hair.

Klaus nodded. "Well, I should hope so. We want nothing but the best for our little girl, and if he weren't harmless, I'd have to call your uncles and have them help me deal with him personally. I think your Uncle Kol once told me how he hung a classmate of his on the flagpole in his underwear."

Caroline playfully elbowed her husband in the arm. "Niklaus, no, that's not how we handle things!" She looked at Anastasia. "Don't mind your father, Anastasia. What he was really trying to say was that we'd love to have Jasper over for dinner. You know, to break the ice a bit."

Anastasia glared at her father and looked at her mother. "I think that could be arranged. In fact, he asked me if he could come over after class."

"That's wonderful, honey," Caroline said. "And don't worry; your father will be on his best behavior." She elbowed her husband again. "Won't you, Nik?"

Klaus winced as he felt her elbowing him again, having not recovered from the first one. "Yes, sweetheart, I'll behave myself. We'll even tell Lily, Christian and Sebastian to be on their best behavior as well. The last thing we want is for you to be embarrassed in front of the boy you fancy."

"Great, I'll be sure to tell Jasper what you said," Anastasia said. "With any luck, I might just have a date for Liam's wedding and your vow renewal."

**Later that Evening**…

Anastasia pulled up to her grandfather's mansion and smiled as Jasper took it all in. "Well, I knew he was rich, but I didn't think he was THAT rich," he said with a still shocked look on his face.

"He built it for my step-grandmother, Eleanor, for their first wedding anniversary and they've had it ever since. If you're just as impressed by the outside, wait until you see the inside," she said as she climbed out of her Ford Mustang and watched as he did the same.

No sooner did Jasper climb out of the car than Anastasia saw Liam's Ford Escape pulling into the driveway. Shortly after, she saw her older brother climb out, helping Carrie out. Not sure what they were doing her, she went up to them. "What are you doing here, brother?"

Liam smiled at his sister. "Father called me earlier and invited me." He then noticed Jasper, his smile fading. "Who's this then?"

"That's Jasper, Jasper Rollins. He's in my karate class," Anastasia said. "Please, Liam, don't embarrass me. I fancy him, and I don't want to scare him off."

"You don't have a thing to worry about, Ana," Carrie said. "Liam will be on his best behavior." She gave him a stern look. "Isn't that right?"

Liam nodded. "I'll behave." He looked toward Jasper. "I just hope it is as long as HE does."

Anastasia frowns. "He knows to behave around my family. Trust me, he comes from a rich family too, and he's got a lot of family, including people that he calls his aunts and uncles, like we do," she said before turning on her heel to hurry toward the house and the front door.

Carrie smacked Liam's chest. "Now you've upset her! I want you to go find her and apologize to her," she demanded and cut off his protest by holding up her index finger and pointing to the way his younger sister went.

Liam went after Anastasia and found her sitting on the bottom step of the grand staircase. He sighed and went to sit down next to her. Anastasia scowled at him. "Go away, Liam! Haven't you done enough?"

"Ana, love, I'm sorry," he replied. "I didn't mean to upset you. You're my little sister and I only acted like that because I wanted to protect you."

"You don't have to protect me, Liam," Anastasia said. "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

Liam nodded. "I know you can. It's just that…I can't help it." He sighed. "Ana, I know you're upset with me and I'll understand if you never want to have anything to do with me after this, but I'm really sorry."

Anastasia looked at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes, as well as heard the sincerity in his voice. "All right, I suppose I could forgive you. But, if you behave like that again, I swear to God…"

"I won't behave like that again," Liam said. "I know that if I do, I'll catch hell from Carrie."

He put his arm around her shoulder and kissed the side of her head in an affectionate, brotherly manner before smiling at Mikael and Eleanor as they approached the two siblings. "Hello, you two," their grandmother said with a smile.

"Hi," they said in unison, exchanging a final smile before standing up and hugging their grandparents.

Eleanor smiled at her grandchildren. "I'm so glad to see you. I've heard that one of you got engaged recently."

Anastasia points at Liam. "He did! To Carrie Salvatore," she said with a beaming smile.

"Congratulations, Liam," Mikael said with a smile at his second oldest grandson. "I hope that you and Carrie are very happy together."

Liam smiled. "Thank you, Grandfather. I love Carrie very much."

"I'm glad that you do, and I look forward to seeing my great-grandchild arrive into our lives," he said as he let his hand come down and pat Liam's shoulder before he turns when the door opens again to reveal Carrie and Ana's date/potential boyfriend. "And who is this gentleman?"

Ana goes over to Jasper. "This is Jasper Rollins, Granddad, he's my, um, he's my boyfriend, I guess you could say," she stutters out.

"It's very nice to meet you, Jasper," Mikael says with a smile as he holds out his hand for the young man to shake, which he does firmly.

Jasper smiled as he shook Mikael's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Mikaelson. Your granddaughter is a very special young lady."

"She is, isn't she?" Mikael said. "And, please, don't be so formal. Call me Mikael. Mr. Mikaelson makes me sound old."

Jasper nodded. "All right, Mikael it is. Again, it was nice to meet you."

Carrie smiled at this and went over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I see Ana has accepted your apology."

"She has," Liam said. "I even promised that I wouldn't get all protective the way I did."

She smiled again and snuggled into his arms. "Are we going to start this dinner soon? I'm eating for two, you know," she said with a soft giggle.

He chuckled and felt her shiver. "Are you cold?" he asked and she shook her head but he still removed his jacket and covered her with it.

Carrie smiled as Liam placed his jacket on top of her, kissing him. "Thank you, Liam."

"You're welcome, love," he replied. "I didn't want you to be cold."

He went to return her kiss when Eleanor spoke up. "Come on, you two, dinner is about to be served."

Carrie nodded at her and whispered to Liam, "Guess I'll have to wait until later for that kiss."

Liam nodded and took her hand, leading her to the dining room. Ana and Jasper watched them go and followed after them, holding hands as well.

"I like your family, especially your brother," he told her as they joined the rest of her family.

"Liam and I are pretty close," she said with a smile as she sits down and he scoots her chair in for her.

Jasper nodded as he took his seat next to her. "I could tell from the way he got all territorial earlier."

"He was trying to protect me, the way a big brother would protect his little sister," Ana said. "He's always been protective of me, even though he took my stuffed rabbit when I was two. I got so mad at him that I bit and scratched him until he gave it back." She heard him laugh and raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"I'm just picturing you as a tough little two-year-old," Jasper said. "And the way it makes you so tough in karate class."

"You like seeing me all tough, don't you, stud?" she asked with a grin as she leaned over until her head was in his shoulder, batting her eyelashes at him.

He chuckles then pushes her back upright. "You can flirt later, Ms. Mikaelson," he said as he opened his napkin and placed it in his lap.

Ana laughed slightly. "Okay, I'll behave…for now."

She placed her own napkin in her lap then smiled up at her parents when they came into the dining room hand in hand. "Well, it's about time that you two joined us," she said in a teasing voice, her smile matching it.

Klaus smiled at Ana. "Well, we didn't know that we were supposed to check in with you." He looked at Caroline. "But, if you must know the reason we were delayed, it was because your mother decided to be a bad girl and pulled me into my old room, where we made out like teenagers." He then began to tickle her with his free hand. "Didn't we, you naughty girl?"

Caroline laughed as she felt her husband tickle her, not caring if she was heard by everyone. "Nik, stop it!"

"Hmm, no," he said as he kissed her cheek then pulled out her chair for her and sat down after she did the same.

Carrie watched this and put her hand on her mouth to muffle a laugh as she whispered to Liam, "Were they always like this?"

Liam looked over at his parents and then back at Carrie, whispering back, "I think it's gotten worse with old age."

Carrie tried to muffle another laugh, but it came out anyway.

"What's so funny over there?" Caroline asked as she looked over at her oldest son and her soon to be daughter in law.

Liam put on his best innocent face. "Nothing, Mother," he replied.

"It didn't sound like nothing," his mother replied. "You're laughing about something. What is it?"

Carrie laughed even harder and Liam joined in with her against his will.

Klaus smiled at his wife. "Oh, honestly, Caroline, don't you remember having laughing fits when you were pregnant?"

She thinks about it then shakes her head. "No. Not like the one they're having," she said as she sent a stern look toward her son and daughter in law then to her daughter and her boyfriend when they joined in.

Klaus couldn't help but join in on the laughter that was going on, much to Caroline's chagrin. "Nik, you're impossible sometimes, you know that?"

"Oh, come on, love, we're just trying to have a little fun," Klaus said with a grin as he scooted his chair closer to his wife's but she was having none of it.

Klaus smirked at her and said in a sing-song tone, "Caroline, do I have to tickle you again?" He then tickled her again.

Laughing, Caroline said, "Nik, no! Stop it!"

"And why should I, love?" he asked in her ear as he put his arm around her then continued to tickle her.

Caroline laughed and then tickled him back, laughing loud and hard.

Mikael and Eleanor glanced at each other then joined in on the laughter. Later, after the dinner, they were just climbing into bed when a knock came on the door.

Mikael went to the door, Eleanor following behind him. When he opened the door, he saw Sabrina standing there. "Sabrina? Sweetheart, what are you doing here?"

Sabrina sobbed. "Father, I have some bad news. I caught Greg sleeping with another woman."

Greg Williams was Sabrina's boyfriend. They had been dating for over three years. Mikael hugged his youngest daughter and led her into the mansion. Eleanor saw that Sabrina was crying and hugged her as well.

"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you two, but I had nowhere else to go," she explained to them once she pulled away to wipe away her tears.

"You're not ever a bother, darling," Eleanor said as she patted her daughter's back.

"Your mother's right, sweetheart," Mikael said. "You're always welcome here. This is your home as well as ours."

"Thank you, Father," Sabrina said. "I really need my family right now."

"Well, we'll call your brothers in the morning. For now, why don't you go up to your old room and get some sleep?" Eleanor suggested as she put an arm around her daughter's shoulders and guided her up the stairs, her husband following behind her.

Sabrina smiled at her mother. "Thank you for allowing me to stay here, Mother. I don't know what I would've done if I didn't have you or Father to turn to."

"That's what family is for, love," Mikael said. "Whenever one is in trouble, we reach out to help them. Don't you worry now; we'll deal with this together. Obviously, Greg was a fool for choosing that other woman over someone as wonderful as you. Though, to tell you the truth, I didn't like him from the moment I met him."

Eleanor looked sternly at her husband. "Mikael, that's not a nice thing to say!"

"I'm only speaking the truth," Mikael said. "He was never worthy in my eyes, and he just proved it by breaking our little Sabrina's heart."

**Author's Note:** Well, there you have it. You got an appearance from the lovely Sabrina, the younger of the only two Mikaelson siblings that are females. I hope you enjoyed seeing her!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Elijah & Katherine's House – Queens, New York**…

Katherine smiled as she woke up and saw the first thing she wanted to see: her husband's rear end naked as the day he was born. "Hmm, I wish you didn't have to go into work today," she said as she stretched her arms above her head.

Just then, the telephone on the bedside table rang, which woke Elijah out of his deep sleep. Groaning, he said, "Kat, could you answer that?"

Katherine nodded and reached over, picking up the phone, looking at the caller ID and seeing Mikael's number. Curious as to why he was calling this early, she pressed the TALK button and placed the phone by her ear. "Hello?"

"Katherine, it's Mikael," her father-in-law replied. "Is Elijah there? I need to speak with him."

Katherine looked at her husband. "Yes, he is. Hold on." She placed her hand on the phone and said to her husband, "Elijah, it's your father. He says he wants to talk to you, but he didn't give a reason."

Elijah nodded and took the phone from her. "Father, good morning; to what do I owe the pleasure of receiving a wake-up call from you?"

"It's about your sister, Sabrina," Mikael said. "Apparently, her boyfriend cheated on her with another woman and she came home last night. Poor dear was an emotional wreck and told us she had nowhere else to go."

Elijah growled at that. He knew this would happen eventually, since he had the same opinion about Greg as his father did. "I knew that bastard was no good and this proves that we were right." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, if Sabrina needs her family around her, then you can guarantee that I'll be there for her. In fact, I can take the day off from work and come by." He looked at Katherine. "And I'll bring Katherine with me, since she'll need a woman to talk to other than Eleanor."

"Splendid," Mikael said. "I'll let Eleanor know that you'll be coming."

Elijah hung up, keeping his eyes on his wife. "Katherine, I'm afraid there's a bit of a family emergency that we have to tend to."

"I know, I overheard your conversation," she replied. "If Sabrina needs us, then let's not waste a second."

"But, I'm sure she won't mind waiting for us to get there, because I have a very beautiful wife that needs my attention first," Elijah said with a teasing smile as he came closer and Katherine began to squeal and dive under the covers, but Elijah was faster and tangled her amongst them before going underneath them to pepper kisses along her smooth thigh.

Katherine felt his lips on her thigh and moaned, softly at first, but it got louder the further up he went. "I'm glad you decided to take the day off today. I was beginning to think you wouldn't be able to because you had to hurry in."

Elijah smiled against her thigh. "You're not the only one, my love." He moved up to capture her lips in a deep and passionate kiss, running his hands up and down her body. Katherine returned his kiss and reached up to run her fingers through his hair, moaning against his lips as she felt the softness of each strand against her skin.

Once he had his fill of her lips, he went for her neck, nipping with his teeth and sucking fervently with his tongue moistening her skin.

**Donovan Photography Studio – That Same Moment**…

Liam licked his lips as he walked into the room, armed with his camera. He knew that he was taking a risk by taking pictures of Carrie while she was still asleep, but she was just so beautiful, he couldn't resist. Once he got close enough, he snapped the picture, but the second it was taken, Carrie woke up and scowled at him when she saw the camera. "Liam, no," she groaned. "I look like crap."

"Nonsense, love," he replied. "You look beautiful, even more now that you're pregnant. Speaking of which, I'd like to take pictures of you as the pregnancy progresses." He was looking at her still-flat belly. "And that means starting now."

Carrie rolled her eyes and grabbed a pillow, throwing it at him, resulting in a laugh. "Liam, I love you, but it's too early in the morning for this!" She felt a wave of nausea hit her and quickly got up out of bed, hurrying to the bathroom, where she lifted the toilet seat and vomited. Liam set the camera down and went into the bathroom, where he knelt down next to her and held her hair back with one hand, rubbing her back with the other.

Once she's done, she sits back and rests against his bare chest. He stroked her hair as he asked, "Do you feel better now, love?"

Carrie sighed as she felt him stroking her hair. "I'll feel even better once this is over." She looked at Liam. "You must have the patience of a saint to put up with me like this, Liam."

"I learned it from my father," he replied. "He was supportive throughout all four of my mother's pregnancies, and I'm going to be just as supportive of you." He kissed her forehead and placed his hand on her belly. "You two are the most important things in the world to me and I'm not going to leave you, ever."

"That's good, because I can totally see us growing old together," she said with a smile as she placed her hand over his.

"You're not the only one, love," Liam said. "I can picture that too. And we'll be surrounded by our children and grandchildren."

He then helped Carrie to her feet and flushed the toilet, putting the seat down and sitting on it as he watched her brush her teeth to get rid of the smell of vomit, smiling at her.

"What are you smiling at, Liam?" she asked with her mouth full of toothpaste. It was also around her lips and he got up then moved closer to her. "Liam, what are you…" She squealed as he began to move his lips quickly over her face and made her drop the toothbrush with a loud clink in the sink.

Liam heard the toothbrush fall and then pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately, not caring about the toothpaste around her lips. Carrie pulled back long enough to spit into the sink and wiped her mouth before returning his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. They pulled back again after a few minutes, looking into each other's eyes.

"I love you," they said in unison then smiled again before Liam was lifting his head a little to press his lips to her forehead in an affectionate manner.

Liam then got an idea. "How about we go downstairs and make breakfast? I'll make something special for you and the rest of our little 'family', as I'd like to call them."

"Sounds good to me," Carrie said. "I'm suddenly craving waffles with peanut butter." She saw the look on Liam's face. "Oh, don't look at me like that. It's what the baby wants. I warned you that I'm eating for two."

Liam nodded. "Okay." He then took her hand and placed her on his back. "Do you fancy a piggyback ride, love?"

"Wow, that's a blast from the past," Carrie said. "The last time you did that was in high school. I believe it was sophomore year, just after the homecoming game. The other cheerleaders were jealous, mostly because they thought you were giving me special treatment because you were the quarterback on the football team and I was the captain of the squad."

Liam smiled, also remembering that night. He felt like the king of the world, carrying his queen on his back. He then carried her out of the bathroom and downstairs to the kitchen to make the breakfast, which included the waffles and peanut butter Carrie was craving.

**Over at the Dormitory**…

Andrea snuggles up to Dante as he reads aloud to her from the book she's supposed to read for college and lets her hand stroke over his arm as he's holding the book.

Dante looked up from what he was reading as he felt what Andrea was doing to him, putting the book down and smiling at her. "Miss Donovan, you're making it difficult for me to concentrate here."

Andrea playfully pouted. "I'm sorry, Mr. Salvatore. It's just that I got distracted by how incredibly sexy you are."

He smiled again then rolled her until she was on her side, kissing her gently on the lips before putting his arms around her in a loose embrace, nuzzling her cheek and making her giggle a little.

Dante smiled as he heard Andrea's giggles. "You have a beautiful giggle, my love."

Andrea returned his smile. "I only giggle like that for you."

"Well then, I should make you giggle more often," he said as he rolled back over then picked up the book once again and picked up where he left off.

**Damon and Elena's House – That Same Moment**…

Elena yawned and stretched as she woke up, sitting up in bed. She looked at Damon's side to discover him missing. Before she could wonder where he went, she saw him coming into their bedroom with a tray in his hands. "You made me breakfast in bed? What's the occasion?"

Damon smiled. "Does a man need an occasion to pamper his wife?" He placed the tray down on her lap. "I made Belgian waffles. Of course, the kids wanted some too, so I made some for them." He cleared his throat. "Oh, and Katie's kind of bummed about something. I tried to ask her what was wrong and she wouldn't tell me. What happened to the little girl who used to tell me everything?"

"She's sixteen, Damon," Elena said. "Sixteen-year-old girls don't tell their fathers everything. Hell, Katherine and I never told OUR father everything when we were her age." Curiously, she added, "Did she want to talk to me, or maybe Juliet?" It dawned on her. "Oh, I think I know what this is about."

"You do?"

"Sure," Elena said. "Think about it, Damon, who else besides me and Juliet does Katie confide in? Carrie."

"What does that have to do with it?"

Elena rolled her eyes and playfully swatted him. "Damon, Katie misses Carrie. That's why she's bummed."

Damon nodded as he began to eat his plate of the waffles he'd brought in for Elena.

Elena smiled as she watched Damon eating the waffles on his plate, loving him more and more.

After breakfast, they laid back down for a little bit more sleep when they felt themselves being separated by someone jumping in between them.

Damon smiled when he saw Katie in between them. "Hey there, Princess," he said.

Katie returned his smile as she said, "Hi Daddy." She smiled at her mother. "Hey, Mom," she said.

"Hi sweetheart," Elena said as she reached over and stroked her daughter's hair off her shoulder.

"Are you two going to be lazy-bums for the rest of the day or am I going to have to go get Juliet and have her help me drag you out of bed?" Katie demanded as she planted her hands firmly on her hips and Elena laughed as she grabbed a hold of her second oldest daughter and pulled her down until she could nestle her close.

Elena suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit her and, excusing herself from her husband and daughter, rushed to the bathroom and Damon cringed as he heard his wife vomit from the other side of the door. _Oh, crap, this wasn't what he thought it was, was it?_ Katie looked at her father, curious about her mother. "What's happening in there, Daddy?"

"I don't know, but I think we're going to find out."

The second Damon said that, Elena came out of the bathroom, a bit pale. She saw Damon and Katie looking at her and said, "Damon, do you remember that little celebration we had after Carrie announced her engagement two weeks ago? Well, I think that in addition to being not only future in-laws and grandparents, we're going to be parents again."

Katie's eyes went wide. "You're pregnant, Mom?"

Elena repeated her earlier motions, stroking her daughter's dark hair. "Yes, sweetie, I am. Are you happy for me?" she asked as she hugged Katie gently to her.

Katie returned her mother's hug. "Are you kidding? I'm excited for you!" She squealed happily. "I can't WAIT to tell Carrie when I call her!"

Damon smiled as well and hugged both his wife and daughter. He couldn't be prouder of them than he was at that moment. He was going to be a father again, and that was definitely something worth celebrating. He made a mental note to call Stefan after this to tell him the news.

**Meanwhile**…

April stepped shakily up to the sink and clutched tightly onto it. "April, honey, which one do you think looks better?" she heard her husband asking her as he moved into her vision. "Honey, what's the matter?"

"I'm … pregnant, Matt," she said before fainting and he dropped the ties he was holding to catch her before she could hit the floor.

April groaned as she woke up and looked up to see Matt looking at her, concern evident in his blue eyes. "Oh, baby, thank God you're all right."

"I'm…sorry, Matt. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Don't be sorry, April," he replied. "Don't ever say you're sorry. I'm just glad that you're okay." He smiled. "Is it true? We're going to have another baby?"

April nodded weakly. "Yes, my love, it's true."

Matt grinned as if he was experiencing it all over again then leaned down to kiss her softly. "I'm so happy right now, I could burst," he told her when he finally broke the kiss.

April smiled at him. "I knew you'd be happy, Matt." She kissed him again. "I can't wait to tell my dad about this. He'll be just as happy to know that he has another grandchild on the way. And I'm sure that Gavin and Andrea will be happy when they find out that they'll have a little brother or sister."

"We'll tell them," her husband said. "Right now, I just want to bask in the moment."

She giggled and pulled him down for another kiss and they were soon making love.

**At the Studio – Later**…

"Whoa, whoa, Katie, calm down. What's this about Mom being pregnant?"

Carrie was having a bit of difficulty understanding what Katie was telling her when she received a call from her later that day. Katie then repeated what she originally told her sister.

"Mom found out this morning that she's pregnant again," she replied. "We're going to have a little brother, or a sister. Juliet and I would love a sister, but Dominic and Damian are all for having a brother."

"Wouldn't put it past them to think that way," Carrie said, rolling her eyes. "In any case, I'm happy for both Mom and Daddy, and I'd also like to apologize if I've kept you out of the loop recently, Katie."

"Hey, its okay, I know you had your reasons, and I totally understand," Katie said. "I was disappointed at first, but I got over it." She smiled. "How's Liam?"

"He's great. Hell, he's more than great, he's amazing," Carrie said. "He just can't seem to do enough for me."

"I'm happy that he's going to soon be a part of the family," Katie gushed from her end of the phone conversation.

"You're not the only one, Katie Bug," Carrie said, teasing her little sister with the nickname she'd given Katie when she was little and liked to inspect the ladybugs in their backyard.

Katie laughed. "I never get tired of that nickname."

Carrie laughed as well. "I know. And I never get tired of calling you that," she said as she turned and smiled at Liam when he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Hello, Katie Bug," he said to his future sister in law through the phone.

Katie laughed at Liam's voice. "Hi, Liam, it's good to hear that gorgeous accent of yours."

"It's good to hear your voice as well, love," Liam said. "I hear that you're going to be a sister again. That's exciting."

"I am too," Katie said through the phone, smiling even though her sister and Carrie's fiancé couldn't see her. Carrie bit her lower lip to keep a moan from escaping when she felt Liam begin to stroke her inner thigh over the material of her cotton pajama pants.

Carrie then said into the phone, "I'll call you later, Katie. Tell Mom and Daddy that I love them, okay?" After hanging up with her sister, she looked at Liam. "You do realize that you nearly made me embarrass myself on the phone, right?"

"My apologies, love," Liam said, a smile on his face. "The temptation to touch your thigh was just too great to resist." He ran his hand down her thigh again. "I just had to touch it."

"Oh, Liam, you're making my hormones skyrocket through the roof!" she said before turning in his arms and pulling his face down to hers and crashing their mouths together. He kissed her deeply and lifted her up onto the kitchen counter.

Carrie returned his kiss and let out a muffled squeal as he lifted her up and placed her on the kitchen counter. She then left his lips, letting her head fall back so that he could kiss her neck, letting a moan escape her throat. Liam smiled against her throat as he felt the vibration of her moan, playfully nibbling her delicate flesh with his teeth, running his hands up and down her body, caressing her every curve.

"I love you, Carrie Salvatore," he whispered against her neck as he picked her up in his arms then carried her up to their bedroom, where he lowered her onto the bed and followed her down onto the soft, cool sheets.

Carrie smiled at him and before they went further, she whispered into his ear, "Did you remember to lock the door?"

Liam let out a soft curse and then got up from the bed momentarily to close and lock the door for privacy before returning to her and climbed on top of her. "Now, where were we, love?"

Carrie giggled at the seductive whisper that blended in with his accent. "I believe you were about to make my hormones really skyrocket."

"Ah, yes, I remember." Wasting no time, he claimed her lips with his, moving his hands up and down her body.

But they were soon interrupted by the cell phone ringing from Liam's back pocket and they both groaned as he reached down to pull it out to see that Dante was calling him.

Liam didn't want to answer it, but he knew that if he ignored Dante, he'd just call him again and again. He rolled down next to Carrie, putting his arm around her waist while he pressed SEND and put the phone to his ear. "This better be important, Dante. Carrie and I are trying to have some alone time."

"I know, I know, I'm interrupting you and I'm sorry," he replied. "But, I just got a call from my mom. Apparently, Aunt Sabrina just broke up with her boyfriend and wants us to come to Grandpa and Eleanor's."

Liam growled at that. He loved and treasured his Aunt Sabrina, and they were very close, just as close as he was with his siblings and cousins. "All right, we'll be there. If Aunt Sabrina needs her family, then that's what she'll get." He hung up and looked at Carrie. "Sorry, love, but I'm afraid that there's a bit of a family crisis. You know my Aunt Sabrina, right?"

"Of course I do," Carrie said. "Why? What happened?"

"Greg Williams, that's what," Liam said. "He's gone and broken her heart, and that just made me hate him even more than when he first walked into our lives." He took her hand and squeezed it. "I want to be there for her, and at the same time, I want you to be there for me."

Carrie nodded and squeezed his hand, kissing him softly. "You know I will, Liam. I love you, and I'm not going to let you go through this alone."

Liam smiled and returned her kiss. "Thank you, Carrie. You have no idea how much this means to me."

She smiled at him and he smiled back before they both climbed from the bed to go get dressed to go to his family's mansion to help support his Aunt Sabrina.

**Mikaelon Mansion – Later**…

Liam and Carrie arrived at the Mikaelson mansion and were greeted by Eleanor, who gave them a big hug. "Thank you both for coming. Sabrina needs her family around her more than ever."

Carrie nodded once they stepped back. "We know, Eleanor. In times like this, it's good to know that you can count on your family."

Liam nodded as well. "Where is she?"

Eleanor nodded pointedly toward the living room. "She's in the living room with your grandfather and everyone else. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you, Liam."

Liam nodded again and walked into the mansion, Carrie following half a beat later, taking his hand and squeezing it gently to assure him that she was here with him, kissing his cheek for good measure. Liam looked at her and smiled, kissing her forehead and moving down to her lips. He loved her so much and he was glad that she was with him right now, because her presence was a comfort to him.

They found Sabrina where Eleanor told them she'd be. When she saw her nephew, she went to him and hugged him. "You have no idea how grateful I am to see you, Liam." She stepped back and looked at Carrie. "And you too, Carrie. Father told me that you and Liam got engaged and that you're expecting. I'm happy for you both."

"Thank you, Sabrina," Carrie said as she snuggled into Liam's embrace.

Liam smiled at Carrie and looked at Sabrina. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm still feeling the sting of what that jerk did to me, but I'm hanging in there," she replied. "I can't believe that I fell for his shallow charms."

"This isn't your fault, Aunt Sabrina," Liam said. "We all make mistakes, and mistakes are to learn by. The best thing you can do is to show him that you're not going to let what he did get you down. If you let it get to you, he wins."

"You're absolutely right," Sabrina said. "The only way I'm going to get through this is to not let this affect me. Greg can have that little tramp he left me for if he thinks she's so much better. Good riddance to bad rubbish."

"Damn right," Liam said. "You deserve a man that will treat you like the lady that you are."

**Author's Note:** Well, I hoped you enjoyed seeing the appearance of Sabrina. I haven't yet determined who her play-by will be, but I know it will be a good/great one!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**Donovan Photography Studio – Later**…

Carrie stole glances at Liam as they returned home. He hadn't spoken since after they left his family's mansion and she wanted to ask what was troubling him, but she already knew. He was worried about Sabrina, and rightfully so, considering how close they were. Thinking that he needed his space, she went to the living room to sit down, turning the television on. No sooner did she do this than she saw Liam joining her. "I thought you needed your space?"

"No," he replied. "I'd rather not be alone at the moment."

Carrie nodded. "Okay. Well, what did you want to do?"

The answer to her question came in the form of Liam pulling her close to him and kissing her hotly and urgently. It was clear what he wanted. He wanted her to comfort him.

She returned his kiss and lowered her body until they were lying on the couch side by side before sitting up a little to lift her arms up over her head to remove her shirt. Liam sat up with her, his hands caressing up her arms until they had linked with her fingers.

Carrie smiled as she felt what he was doing, kissing him again. "I love you so much, Liam."

"I love you too, Carrie," he replied. "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you with me. You know exactly what to do to make me feel better."

"I promised to be there for you and I intend to keep my promise," Carrie said. "We Salvatore family members always keep our promises."

Liam smiled and kissed her, reaching behind her to undo the clasps of her bra, moving down to kiss her breasts before taking one into his mouth, gently suckling on it.

Carrie let her fingers drift into his hair and hold his head in place while the fingers on the other hand move down his chest and tug on the hem of his shirt.

Liam smiled against her breast as he felt her tugging on the hem of his shirt and pulled back a bit, helping her pull it up over his head. Then, he gently pushed her down onto the couch, kissing down her body to her belly button, licking it playfully with his tongue and then gently undoing the button and zipper of her jeans, slowly pulling them and her panties down, kissing her thighs as he went.

Carrie felt what he was doing and moaned as a shiver went up her spine. "Liam, please don't…"

Liam looked up at her. "Don't what, sweetheart?"

"Don't tease me; you know I don't like it when you tease me."

"I know, baby," he said before coming back up to claim her lips.

Carrie moaned against Liam's mouth as she returned his kiss, moving her hands down to the button and zipper of his jeans, pulling them down and throwing them onto the floor, along with his boxers. Liam let out a muffled groan against her mouth and then pulled her jeans and panties down, throwing them onto the floor before driving his throbbing member into her core.

She wrapped her legs around his waist as she pushed him onto the cushions of the couch.

**Several Hours Later**…

Liam held Carrie close to him under the sheets of their bed. Sometime during their little escapade, they had moved from the couch to their room. Carrie gently kissed his chest, savoring the sweat that lingered there while Liam ran his fingers through her hair. As she continued to kiss his chest, Carrie looked up at him and smile. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much better, thank you," he replied. "It was as though the whole world melted away and there was only the two of us."

"You wanted me to comfort you and that's what I did," Carrie said. "You know, I really hope that everything works out for Sabrina. She's a great lady and she deserves better than what she was dealt."

"You're not the only one, love," Liam said. "But, knowing Grandfather, he'll figure out a way to help her, like he's done with all of his children."

She nodded and smiled and snuggled into him. Liam smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Carrie."

Carrie sighed and said, "I love you too, Liam. I'll always love you."

He nodded then reached over to turn off the lamp beside him.

**Back over at the Dorm Hall**…

Andrea got up off of Dante and removed the reading glasses he had on as well as the book sitting on his chest.

Dante groaned and slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Andrea. "What time is it?"

Andrea looked at the clock on the wall and then back at Dante. "It's close to 7:30." She smiled at him. "You had fallen asleep and we kind of lost track of time."

"It's that late?" Dante said. "We must really have been studying." He gave her a playful glare. "Though, I think you were studying me while I studied the material. I don't think I'm going to be on the test."

She giggled then climbed back on top of him, kissing him passionately as his fingers stroked up and down her denim-covered thigh.

Andrea growled playfully against his lips as she felt what Dante was doing. She loved it when he was like this with her, and she was sure that he liked it when she was like this with him.

He growled back in a low manner then took his hands to the button of her jeans and released it before turning her until she was the one on the bed, pushing the hem of her top up over her head and kissing her stomach briefly before getting up to go and lock the door to her room in the dorm.

Dante smiled at Andrea. "You're so beautiful."

"Mm, mi amore," she replied, remembering the French that her grandma had taught her recently during a trip to France, where she and Andrew lived.

**Meanwhile**…

Caroline felt her heart hammer as she looked at the test strip. There it was, staring her right in face: two blue plus signs. She was pregnant again. But, why did it have to be now? She and Klaus were planning their big anniversary, as well as the renewal of their vows, Liam was engaged to Carrie, and she was going to be a grandmother. Not to mention the fact that she had already miscarried several times before this and it led to adopting Sebastian.

"Great," she whispered to herself. "I hope I don't miscarry again."

"Mom, where are you?" Ana's voice called out from outside the bedroom door and Caroline turned.

"Sweetheart, I'm in here," Caroline called out from the bathroom. She smiled gently at Ana once she had hidden the test behind her back before her oldest daughter could see it.

Ana raised an eyebrow at her mother. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," her mother replied. "Why would I not be fine?"

"Because you just avoided the real answer to my question," Ana stated firmly.

Caroline sighed. Ana was more like her father than she thought. The blonde brought her hand out from behind her back in slow motion and Ana gasped at the sight of the pregnancy test. "It's true, sweetheart. I just hope that I don't lose this one too," she told Ana.

Ana nodded in reply. "You still have to tell Father. He's going to want to know."

Caroline sighed. "I know, Ana. I just don't want to jinx it."

"Caroline, love, I'm home," they both heard Klaus call from downstairs.

"It's now or never, Mum, go for it!" Ana said as she tugged her mother's hand until she came out of the bathroom and pushed her toward the bedroom door.

Caroline went downstairs and smiled at her husband, going over to him and kissing him. "Hi, Nik, how is the gallery doing?"

Klaus returned her kiss. He noticed her facial expressions. "What's wrong, love? You look like you want to tell me something."

Caroline sighed. "I'm pregnant, Nik. I just found out."

"You are?" he asked, gripping onto the counter with both hands but still keeping his gaze on hers.

"Yes. I am," she said with a grin as she tugged on his arms to pull him to her so she could hug him gently.

Klaus hugged her and then gently placed his on her belly. Without looking at her, he said, "What if you miscarry again? I know how devastated you were the last several times."

"I'm hoping that it won't happen," she replied. "But, if it does, I know that you'll be there for me, just like you've always been." She kissed him softly. "The only thing we can do is hope for the best."

"And that will mean that Mum will be monitored by all of us, okay, Father," Ana said as she joined her parents, smiling at them both as she put a hand on both of their shoulders.

"Thank you, sweetheart," Caroline said as she pulled one arm away from Klaus so she could bring Ana in on the hug.

Klaus smiled as he hugged his wife and oldest daughter. Although it wasn't certain if this pregnancy would stick, he did take comfort in the fact that Caroline would be monitored by not only him, but the whole family. There was another silence until he cleared his throat and stepped back.

"We'll have to tell Liam about it," he said. "He's going to want to know that he's going to be a big brother."

Ana nodded in reply. "I'll tell him. After what happened with Aunt Sabrina, I have a feeling that good news is something he's going to need."

"Okay, sweetheart," Klaus said as he hugged his daughter to him a fierce embrace. She hugged him tighter back then stepped away to smile at him.

Klaus smiled at Ana. "Go on and call Liam, Ana. I'll take care of your mother."

Ana nodded and kissed his cheek, giggling at the feel of his stubble. It always tickled her, even when she was a baby. Then, after hugging her parents one more time, she went to call her brother to tell him the news.

**Donovan Photography Studio**…

Liam was startled out of a deep sleep by his phone ringing. When he looked at the ID screen and saw Ana's number, his blue eyes widened and, sitting up in bed (slowly so as not to disturb the sleeping Carrie, who had her arms wrapped around his waist), he answered it. "Ana? What's going on?"

His sister giggled on her end of the line. "Did I disturb you, brother?"

"Maybe a little," he replied. "Now, to reiterate my previous question, what's going on?"

"I have good news for you, Liam," Ana said. "Mother found out that she's pregnant again. She just told Father about it a few minutes ago."

Liam bit his lip. He wanted to be excited, but he was hesitant. "What if it doesn't stick this time? I don't think I need to remind you of the several times Mother miscarried."

"Father was worried about that too," Ana said. "But, we're going to be monitoring her."

"I think that sounds like a fine idea, dear sister," Liam said as he smiled down at Carrie, who had woken up to the sound of his voice.

"Who is it?" she mouthed to him, and he replied back, "Ana…" She nodded and snuggled into him again.

Liam smiled. "Well, sister, tell Mother and Father that I'll be glad to help out in any way I can."

"I will," she replied. "And tell Carrie I said hello."

"I'll be sure to do that," Liam said. "I love you, Anastasia Rose."

Ana giggled once again. "I love you too, Liam Niklaus."

They both ended the call at the same time and Liam rolled onto his side to meet the eyes of his beautiful bride to be. "And good morning to you, love," he said with a grin as he cupped her cheek then pulled her closer to kiss her softly.

Carrie smiled against his lips and returned his kiss. "So, what did Ana have to say?"

"Well, our mother is pregnant again."

"Aw, really, she is?" Carrie said. "That's great!" She raised an eyebrow when she saw his smile fade. "What's with the long face?"

"She's miscarried several times before this, and she fell into a deep depression. In fact, it got to the point where she nearly committed suicide," Liam said. "Father managed to talk her out of it, but it was a very dark time for all of us." He sighed. "Anyway, Ana said that although there is concern, Mother is going to be monitored."

"That's good," Carrie said. "I'd hate for you to go through that dark time again."

Liam nodded and stroked her arm softly then picked up her hand to gently kiss the knuckles. "Why don't we go get dressed and see what Andrea and Dante are up to, okay?" he asked and waited for her reply, grinning when she smiled and leaped out of the bed to go to the closet to pick out some clothes.

Liam dressed first and when he was finished, he left the room so that Carrie could have her privacy. He had just reached the living room when he saw the door opening and in walked Dante and Andrea, laughing and kissing. Liam rolled his eyes at this. It wasn't that he disapproved of them being affectionate, which he didn't, but it reminded him of when he accidentally walked in on his Uncle Finn and Aunt Sage while they were making out during their Christmas visit. He was five years old then, but he remembered it vividly.

Then, teasingly, he said, "All right, knock it off, Uncle Finn and Aunt Sage."

Dante stopped kissing Andrea and looked at Liam. "Wait, did you just call us Uncle Finn and Aunt Sage?"

"Yes, because seeing you two making out like teenagers reminded me of them. Or do I need to tell the story of when I walked in on them when I was five years old?"

"I think I kind of remember this. Wasn't it at Christmas or some other holiday?" Dante asked as he watched Andrea go over to Carrie, who had come downstairs finally.

Liam nodded. "It was Christmas, one of the worst Christmases of my young life, to be exact. They didn't even notice me until I screamed bloody murder and ran to Mother, telling them what I had seen."

Carrie smiled at Andrea and then looked over at the guys. "What are they talking about?"

"Oh, Liam saw me and Dante making out and it reminded him of when he walked in on Finn and Sage doing the same thing when he was five years old."

"I remember that," Carrie said. "It was Christmas and I was at a party that was being thrown at Liam's parents' house. I even remember hearing Liam scream bloody murder as I was playing with the new toys I had gotten. I then saw him run to the kitchen and followed after him to see what was wrong. I don't remember much after that, but I do know that Liam and I hugged after he came out of the kitchen."

Andrea giggled as she tried to picture her best friend and Liam hugging as little kids during their family's Christmas parties.

Liam heard Andrea giggling and looked in the girls' direction. "Carrie, what is Andrea giggling about over there?"

Carrie smiled. "She was picturing us hugging after what happened at the Christmas party at your parents' house when you were five. You know, where you saw Finn and Sage making out?"

"And that was funny?"

"Actually, I was giggling at how cute it must've been," Andrea said. "With the two of you, as five-year-olds, hugging each other; I'm surprised none of the other adults took a picture of it."

"Eleanor did," Liam said. "She saw us hugging and thought it would make a good picture, so she took out her camera and snapped the picture. It's in a frame mounted on the mantel, directly underneath the wedding portrait of her and Grandfather."

"That is precious!" Andrea said as she smiled at Dante when he pulled her into him. "I think Aunt Vicki or Nana Kelly did the same, but I can't remember which one. But, they caught Dante and I hugging and took the photo."

Carrie smiled as well as she went over to Liam, who pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently. Liam then looked at Andrea. "Well, whichever one it was, I'm sure you two made quite the pair, like you do now."

Andrea nodded and turned in Dante's arms to kiss him quickly. They both looked over when a flash went off and glared at Liam. "I don't think that was fair. Neither of us had been ready," Dante said with a frown.

Liam smiled at the frowning Dante. "Oh, come on, mate, I was only trying to take a candid photo of you and Andrea. It was just too adorable to resist."

Carrie buried her face in the crook of Liam's neck to muffle a laugh, but Dante heard her anyway. "It's not that funny."

Andrea stroked Dante's face with her hand. "Aw, don't be like that, Dante. It's all in fun."

He still frowned but it eased off of his face as he looked down into Andrea's eyes. "I have an idea. I would like to introduce Aunt Sabrina to a friend of ours. Do you remember that divorced single father that hired us for his sister's wedding? I was thinking they could bond over something," Dante said as he looked to Liam.

"I think that's a fine idea. Why don't you give him a call, and I'll call Aunt Sabrina, okay?" Liam suggested and Dante nodded.

**A Few Days Later**…

Sabrina Mikaelson didn't particularly like blind dates, and the one her nephews had persuaded her to go on was no exception. She was supposed to meet a Wyatt Griffith, but it seemed that he was running late.

Sabrina was about to give up when she saw Wyatt coming toward her. She had to admit, he was quite handsome. Hell, he was so handsome, he made Greg look like an anorexic teenager. Wyatt smiled at her as he got closer, admiring just how beautiful she was.

"Are you Sabrina Mikaelson?"

Sabrina nodded. "That's me. And you're Wyatt Griffith? The one my nephews told me about?"

"Guilty as charged," Wyatt said. "You'll have to forgive me. I'm kind of rusty when it comes to dating. I was kind of out of it after my wife left me, and I devoted most of my time to either my job or my kids, sometimes both."

"I guess we have that in common then," Sabrina said. "I'm kind of rusty too. My boyfriend left me for another woman, who just so happened to be my best friend." She shook her head. "But, that's in the past. I can't cry over it forever."

Wyatt nodded. "So, what do you do for a living?" he asked.

"I'm a teacher. I might know your children. Um, Samantha and Thomas, right? I might have taught them," she replied with a smile.

"Oh! You're that Sabrina. I knew I recognized you. Samantha calls you her inspiration. She said you were so patient with her when she got frustrated," he said with a smile.

Sabrina smiled. "That's the mark of a good teacher, knowing that you've inspired at least one student to do well."

He nodded again, smiling at her as he picked up her hand. "I think my evening wants to be cut short. How about we go back to my place and I'll fix you a somewhat decent meal?" he asked her while waiting for an answer.

In response, she leaned closer and let her lips move over his in a fleeting kiss but he pulled her close, deepening the kiss. Sabrina moaned as their tongues collided and moved around the table until she was in his lap.

Sabrina looked into Wyatt's eyes as they broke the kiss. She'd say this for him; he was a better kisser than Greg. For the next few minutes, there was a silence between them as they both searched for something to say. Finally, Sabrina decided to speak. "How about we go back to your place before we make a scene in front of these nice people?"

Wyatt nodded. "I think that's a good idea." He waited until she was out of his lap before standing up and extending his hand to her. "Shall we?"

Sabrina smiled and took his hand. "Yes, we shall."

Then, kissing her one more time, Wyatt escorted her out of the restaurant.

**Author's Note:** I hoped you enjoyed seeing Sabrina getting a new romance. Next, you'll get to see the glimpse of her twin brother, Olivier, and what he's been up to. For now, you'll be kept in the dark about it!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**Mikaelson Law Offices – The Next Day**…

Olivier Mikaelson looked up when the door to his personal office opened to reveal the face of his ex-wife and their two children, Mitchell and Sierra. "Daddy, hi," Sierra said with a bright grin as her 4 year old self bounced over to him. Olivier moved his chair back until he could pick her up and place her on his lap, smiling as he watched her place her piece of "art" down on the surface of his nearly clean desk.

Olivier kissed Sierra on her little cheek. "That's a very beautiful piece of art you made, sweetheart." He looked over at his ex-wife, Clara Walters Mikaelson, who was just placing Mitchell down, giving her a stern look. "You're late, Clara."

Clara gave him the same look. "Well, I called and said the traffic was a bear. Or did you not bother to pick up?"

"I know you did, but we agreed that you would drop the kids off precisely at 6:00," Olivier said. "That doesn't mean coming in at 6:05, 6:10 or 6:30, which is the time now."

"Whatever, Olivier," Clara said. "You've got your kids here and that should suffice, shouldn't it?"

He nodded and looked at Sierra as she began to babble about her day at pre-school. Later, after Clara was gone, he took them to his childhood home, where he was greeted by his mother and brothers, Elijah and Finn and both of their wives. "Uncle Elijah, Uncle Finn!" Sierra said excitedly as she squirmed in her father's arms until he put her down and she ran to her uncles to hug them both around their legs.

"Hi, Sierra Dawn," Katherine said with a smile.

Elijah smiled as he saw his wife and niece interacting before looking at his little brother. "I take it that things didn't go smoothly with Clara?"

Olivier nodded. "No. That woman has no concept of time. She was half an hour late dropping the children off. I can just imagine how late she'll be picking them up." He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "This is why I envy you and Finn sometimes, Elijah. You two have wives that worship you and actually care about your feelings. Clara, on the other hand, couldn't care less about my feelings, which is why our marriage failed."

"I think you're idealizing things a bit," Finn said, having heard what they were talking about. "Sage and I have had our disagreements, as so Elijah and Katherine. But, that doesn't mean you should give up altogether. Sooner or later, you'll find someone ten times better than Clara. She was all wrong for you, to be honest. It was just a matter of time before her true colors were revealed."

Before Olivier could say anything else, he was unexpectedly bombarded by his daughter, who had tears in her eyes. "Daddy, Mitchell pushed me!" she cried. Sage took over then, picking Sierra up and taking her over to the small couch/settee, putting the 4 year old girl in her lap.

"Mitchell, come here, please," she said sweetly, and the Mikaelson brothers all watched with shock on their faces as the little boy did as his aunt had asked him, coming over to his redhead aunt, who put an arm around him. "Mitchell, can you say you're sorry to your sister? We need to learn that pushing isn't nice, okay?"

Mitchell nodded and hugged his sister then said, "I'm sorry, Sierra."

"Its okay, Mitchell, let's go play!" Sierra said as she climbed off her aunt's lap then grabbed her brother's hand and tugged him off to another room.

Olivier looked at his brothers and then at Sage. "Thank you, Sage. You really have a way with children."

"I'm a mother, I know these things," she replied. "I also work as a nanny, which is also a plus."

"Speaking of your job, sweetheart, are you about ready to go on that assignment to Japan?" Finn asked as he kissed his wife briefly. She nodded and leaned into him.

"Let's get going. Elijah, Katherine, Olivier, it was lovely seeing you. Take good care of Ruby and Cooper for us, okay?" Sage said as she and Finn left the mansion together, hand in hand.

Once Finn and Sage left, Elijah noticed that Katherine had a smile on her face. "What's the smile for, love?"

Katherine smiled again and took her husband's hand. "Elijah, honey, I have something to tell you. I went to the doctor because I haven't been feeling well lately. And it turns out that I'm pregnant."

Elijah felt his jaw slack and quickly closed it. "You are?"

Katherine nodded in confirmation, placing the hand she was already holding on her belly. "Yes, I am."

He grinned and leaned in to kiss her softly then knelt down in front of her to kiss her still-flat stomach, caressing it with a gentle hand.

Elijah looked up at her as he was caressing her stomach. "I love you so much, Katherine."

Katherine smiled. "I love you too." She cleared her throat. "Or should I say we love you too?"

Her husband grinned. "Daddy loves both baby and their gorgeous Mommy," he told her as he stood back up then kissed her again.

**Elsewhere**…

Caroline gave Klaus a curious look as he helped her out of the car. A few hours ago, he had told her to put her best dress on and that he was taking her somewhere special for dinner, and that he had told Ana to look after Lily, Christian, and Sebastian while they were out. When Caroline had asked where he was taking her, he didn't divulge the information.

When they walked into a fancy restaurant, she gasped in amazement and looked at him. "You know, Nik, when you told Ana that you were going to take care of me, I had no idea that this was what you meant."

"This is a special occasion," he replied. "And special occasions need to be celebrated." He kissed her cheek. "I think that a new baby is definitely worth celebrating."

She smiles and nodded in agreement, kissing him softly on the cheek in return. "I think you are right. I cannot wait to our daughter or son in our arms," she said softly, leaning into him when he kissed her forehead.

Klaus led his wife to a table and pulled the chair out for her, pushing it back in when she was seated, taking a seat across from her and taking her hand. The waiter brought sparkling water for Caroline and champagne for Klaus. Once they had their drinks, Klaus stood up and raised his glass.

"This is a toast to my beautiful Caroline. These past twenty years have been the best years of my life. Thank you for being the wonderful wife, mother, friend, and partner that you are, and I hope that the next twenty years will be even better."

Caroline smiled and clanked her glass against his.

Later, Klaus tucked a blanket in around a now sleeping Caroline as they took a carriage ride around Central Park and kissed the top of her head.

Caroline moaned in her sleep as she felt his lips on her forehead. "I love you, Nik."

Klaus smiled. "I love you too, Caroline."

She snuggled further against him and he closed his eyes.

Later, Klaus carried Caroline into their bedroom and laid her down on the bed, kissing her softly.

He joined her as soon as he went to check on their children, making his quiet rounds before returning to their bedroom and settling with her, one hand caressing her hair when she snuggled into him.

**Donovan Photography Studio – That Same Moment**…

Carrie moaned in her sleep, tossing and turning before forcing herself to wake up, sweat pouring down her face. She then went to the bathroom to splash water on her face. As she was about to return to the bedroom, she saw Liam standing in the doorway, a concerned look on his face. "Are you all right, Carrie love?"

"No, I'm not," she replied. "I had a nightmare."

Liam approached her and pulled her into his arms. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"You remember when I told you about Luke kidnapping me?" Carrie said. "That's what it was about." She sighed. "I don't know why I had it. I thought I put that behind me?"

"It's the pregnancy. I think it's messing with your head," Liam said. "But, you're safe now. He's in jail, he can't hurt you anymore."

Carrie nodded and allowed him to carry her back into the bedroom and lay her gently back on the bed. "I am glad that you're here with me, Liam," she said softly as her head nestled into the crook between his neck and shoulder.

Liam smiled. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be than here with you, love."

**Meanwhile**…

Ruby guided her way down the stairs at her Uncle Elijah and Aunt Katherine's home. She had woken up with a sudden craving for food and navigated her way toward the kitchen, feeling the heat of a soft light coming from it. "Who is there?" she spoke in a slow voice, the tone low and full of warning.

Maria heard her cousin's voice behind her and turned around. "It's only me, Ruby."

Ruby heard Maria's voice and smiled. "Oh, Maria, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were here as well."

"I just got here," her cousin replied. "Gavin and I got into a fight and I thought I'd come home for a while until things die down."

Ruby nodded when she listened to her cousin. "I hope it won't last through to tomorrow. Gavin is a wonderful man for you, Maria, and I can tell how much you love him; it's in your voice," she said softly.

Maria nodded. "I do love him. It's just that, sometimes, he can be a little childish. Then again, I guess that's what most men are, little boys in adult bodies." She sighed. "Enough about me, was there anything you needed in here, Ruby?"

"I was hungry and I thought I'd sneak down here for something to eat."

"I can get it for you," Maria said. "I know that you don't want to feel like you're imposing on anyone, but I want to help."

"I didn't want anything big, since it's late," Ruby said. "I just want something small, like some Jell-O."

Maria nodded and went into the refrigerator and got out some Jell-O for Ruby, as well as herself. After getting the spoons, Maria guided Ruby to the table and helped her into a chair before sitting down herself.

"So, how have you been, Ruby? How is the business going?" Maria asked as she took slow bites of her strawberry-flavored Jell-O.

"I've been good, all things considered," her cousin replied. "My good-for-nothing husband left me after the accident because he didn't want to be saddled with a blind wife. Thankfully, my parents took me in and have been helping me with Cooper." She sighed. "As far as the business goes, we've had some new clients, and that serves to always be a good thing."

Maria smiled. "That's great, Ruby. I'm glad everything is going well." She placed her free hand on Ruby's. "And about the whole mess concerning your husband, I'd say you should forget about him. If he thinks that you were dead weight because of something that happened to you that you couldn't control, then it's his loss. Someday, you'll find a man that will love you for who you are and not give a damn that you're blind. Not to mention some who will be a good father to Cooper."

Ruby nodded. "Thank you, Maria."

"Hey, what are cousins for?" Maria said. "Life may throw us lemons sometimes, but we just have to make lemonade."

They both turned when the light flickered on above their heads, and Maria saw her mother standing in the doorway. "Maria Rene, do you have any idea what time it is?" Katherine demanded.

Maria gave her mother a guilty look. "I'm sorry, Mother. I had no idea it was so late. Gavin and I got into a fight and I wanted to come home for awhile."

Katherine shakes her head. "Alright, but it's midnight. Your father and grandfather have a conference call in the morning with an important client," she told her daughter, going over and hugging Maria gently.

Maria returned her mother's hug and after a few minutes, stepped away and kissed her mother good night before helping Ruby back to her room. Then, once she was sure that her cousin was safe, Maria went to her old bedroom to get ready for her bed. She knew that she'd probably have a hard time sleeping because of her fight with Gavin, but she had to try. After all, things would look better in the morning.

**The Next Morning**…

Elijah wandered down to his father's home office and sat down in one of the chairs for his father, smiling at Maria when she passed through to leave the mansion. "Bye, Daddy," she said as she kissed him on the cheek, turning to smile at Mikael when he came in as well. "Bye, Grandfather!" She waves at Mikael and leaves through the front door.

When Maria got to her car, she was surprised to see Gavin standing there. Normally, she would've smiled at him, but she was still angry about the fight, so she glared at him. "What are you doing here, Gavin?"

"I came to talk to you."

"Oh, now you want to talk?" she replied. "Well, I've got nothing more to say to you."

"Come on, Maria, you've got to talk to me sometime," Gavin said. "I felt bad about the fight."

Maria raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you really feel bad? Or are you just saying you feel bad to get me to forgive you?"

"Forgive me?" Gavin said. "I wasn't the one who started the fight."

"Don't you dare blame this on me, Gavin Donovan," Maria said. "It was clear who the instigator was." She sighed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."

Not giving Gavin a chance to reply, she got in her car and drove off. Gavin kicked the tire of his truck, kind of angry that Maria didn't want to talk to him. He got in his truck and decided to go see his parents for advice.

April was surprised when Gavin came home. "Hello, sweetheart, what are you doing here?"

Gavin sighed. "It's Maria, Mom. She won't talk to me."

"Oh, sweetheart, come in," April said as she stepped aside to let her oldest come into his childhood home.

Matt was coming out of the kitchen with Fiona in front of him, and Fiona grinned when she saw her big brother. "GAVIN, hi," she said excitedly as she ran up to him to give him a fierce hug.

"Hey, Fi," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

Matt smiled at this. "Hey, Gavin, what brings you here, son?"

Gavin looked up from Fiona's head. "I need to talk to you and Mom about Maria. She's not talking to me."

"I'll go finish with the cookies for the bake sale," Fiona said as she left her brother's arm after giving him one final hug and heading off to the kitchen.

April leaned up and kissed her husband. "I'm going to join her. You two can talk in the study," she told Matt before following her dark-haired daughter to the kitchen.

Gavin followed Matt to his study and closed the door behind them for privacy, sitting down in the chair across from his father's desk. For about five minutes or so, there was silence between them until Matt spoke first. "I hear you wanted to talk about Maria."

Gavin nodded solemnly. "Yes, Dad; you see, we got into a fight. Don't ask what it was about, because I don't even remember. The best guess was it was about life, our future. This morning, I wanted to talk to her, so I went to see her at her parents' house. Turns out my effort to get her to talk to me turned out to be all in vain because she refused to talk to me." He sighed. "What do you think I should do?"

"Well, if you wanted her to talk to you, you should've given her a few days to cool off," Matt said. "That's what I do whenever your mother and I have a disagreement. The day after is too soon. Plus, Maria has inherited her mother's stubbornness, so I would definitely use the three-day grace period and see if she's receptive after that."

Gavin nodded again as he sat down. Matt came around the desk and sat next to his son. "Gavin, when your mother and I first met, we got into a pretty big argument over a mistake she made, one that she didn't do ever again," Matt told him quietly.

"You two never told me that," Gavin said, a slight bit of shock on his face.

"She did. She regretted doing it, and swore she'd stay true to our newfound romance," Matt replied. "I know that you and Maria aren't your mother and myself, but just consider that she's probably going through something right now."

Gavin nodded. "You know, I detected in her voice that something was up, something that made our fight seem trivial, like some family stuff that she's dealing with."

"Exactly," Matt said. "So, just let her deal with her family stuff for now and when it's resolved, she'll be ready to talk to you."

"Thanks, Dad," Gavin said with a smile.

Matt nodded. "You're welcome, Gavin. Glad I can help."

**Author's Note:** Ending another successful chapter here, because, well … I can! I love these collaborations with Erin; she's a wonderful writer and such a tremendous help!


	13. Chapter 13

**_Previously, in "Pages in Between," Liam comforts Carrie after she has a nightmare, Klaus treats Caroline to a night on the town, and Maria returns home after a fight with Gavin._**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Damon & Elena's House**…

Damon slowly opened his eyes as a knock at the front door woke him out of a sound sleep. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, wondering who could be coming by this early. Elena heard the knocking as well and sat up, looking at her husband. "Who's at the door, Damon?"

"Don't know, but I'm going to find out." He got up out of bed, pulled his boxers on, as well as a T-shirt and his favorite black silk robe before extending his hand to her. "Come on, let's go see."

Elena nodded, quickly threw something on, and took his hand, following him out of their bedroom. The knocking got louder as they approached the door and Damon was surprised that the neighbors hadn't started complaining yet. When they got to the door, he peeked out of the peep hole, saying, "Who is it?"

"Damon, its Stefan, can I come in?"

Puzzled by his brother's sudden visit, Damon unlocked the door and let him in, closing it behind him as soon as he was in the house. "What's going on, Stefan? Why the sudden urge to visit me?"

"I need to talk to you." He looked at Elena. "I'd prefer to do it in private, though. I know that you don't want Elena to think you're excluding her, but this is something I need my brother for."

Damon nodded. "Okay." He looked at Elena. "Go on back to bed, baby. Stefan and I have some things we need to discuss in private."

Elena nodded as well. "It's all right, Damon, you don't have to explain. I understand." She kissed him softly. "Don't take too long." Before she left, she said to Stefan, "It's always good to see you, Stefan. Tell Rebekah I said hi."

She kissed her brother-in-law on the cheek and then went back upstairs, leaving Stefan and Damon to their business.

Stefan waited until Damon had gestured for him to go ahead of him to his private office, waiting until Damon had closed the doors to give them further privacy before Damon turned to his brother. "So, what's up?" the dark-haired Salvatore asked as he rubbed more sleep out of his eyes.

Stefan bit his lip. "She's back, Damon."

"Who's back?"

"The con artist who wormed her way into our lives, pretending to be our sister," Stefan said. "I don't know how, but she's escaped." He took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Damon. "I got this last night. I opened it and when I saw the handwriting, I knew right away who it was."

Damon took the envelope from Stefan, opened it and saw the letter, his blue eyes widening. "This isn't good, not at all."

"I know it's not," Stefan said. "What's worse, she's gotten Luke out as well." He ran a hand through his hair. "We have to warn Carrie. Luke might go after her again, maybe even kill her, the baby, and, possibly even Liam."

Reaching out, Damon let his hand grab onto the back of a chair until his knuckles turned white. "Safety," he finally said. "We need to put Carrie, Elena, anyone they might get a hold of in a safe place. And I think it should be at the summer house in Italy."

Stefan nodded in agreement. "I agree. We've seen how dangerous she is and we need to protect our family."

"Yes, that's a definite. We'll have to arrange a family meeting later," Damon said and his brother nodded again.

Stefan then heard his cell phone ring. Checking the ID, he saw Rebekah's number. Looking at Damon, he answered it. "Yes, my love?"

"Did you tell Damon about the letter you got last night?"

Stefan nodded. "I did. In fact, we're just discussing the best course of action."

"Really," Rebekah said. "And what did you come up with?"

"Using the summer house in Italy," Stefan said. "I know that it sounds like I'm being vague, but everything will be explained in more detail at the family meeting later."

"Fair enough," Rebekah said. "I thought I'd call and see how you're making out."

"I appreciate that," Stefan said. "I'll see you at home, babe. I love you, you know that."

"I do, Stefan, and I love you too," Rebekah said. "Send my regards to everyone and I'll see you soon."

Stefan nodded again. "I will." He hung up and placed his phone in his pocket.

"So, we are going with the summer house for sure?" Damon asked his brother, who nodded in reply.

"We can't let her destroy us," Stefan said. "We worked too hard to build it."

"She won't destroy us, Stefan," Damon said. "Not as long as I live and breathe."

His brother nodded in agreement once more. "Call Carrie & Liam as well as Caroline and Klaus; they'll all want to be here for the meeting," he said before leaving the house.

Damon sighed and reached for the phone and called Carrie. Several rings passed before Carrie said, "Daddy?"

"Hi, sweetheart, is Liam around? I need to talk to both of you," he said, trying not to break down in tears for his little girl's sake.

"Yes, he's here, hold on," Carrie replied quickly, shaking Liam awake on her end of the line.

Liam woke up as Carrie was shaking him, looking at her. "Who's on the phone, love?"

"My father," she replied. "He wants to talk to us."

Liam then took the phone from her, his curiosity piquing. Clearing his throat, he said, "Damon. To what do we owe the pleasure of hearing your voice this early?"

"I know it's early, but this is important," Damon said. "I'm afraid that the con artist who pretended to be Carrie's aunt has escaped from jail, along with your old friend, Luke Garrison."

Liam looked at Carrie. "How did that happen?"

"That I don't know," Damon said. "What I do know is that you, Carrie and the baby are in danger if you stay where you are."

"What do you want us to do?" Liam asked as he opened his arm to Carrie when he saw tears gather in her eyes. She quickly nestled against his side and he stroked her back softly, patting it every few seconds to keep her calm.

"Get dressed and come to the house," Damon said. "I'm going to be holding a family meeting and I think you and Carrie should be there."

Liam nodded. "We'll be there." He looked at Carrie and kissed her forehead. "Don't start anything until we get there, okay?"

"I don't plan to," Damon said. "I'm going to call Caroline and Klaus now and let them know as well."

"Good idea," Liam said. "They're going to want to know about this."

**Meanwhile**…

Finn and Sage had just begun to relax in each other's arms after the massages they'd gotten as part of their second 'honeymoon' package that had come with the promotion he'd gotten when her cell phone rang.

Sage groaned when she heard her cell phone ring. "Oh, why is it that when we're about to relax that someone tries to interrupt us?"

Finn nodded. "Did you want me to answer it or did you want to ignore it?"

"If we ignore it, whoever it is will try calling again," Sage said. "Answer it and see who it is."

Reaching over, Finn picked up the phone, pressing SEND and bringing it up to his ear. "Hello, this is Sage Mikaelson's phone," he said with a grin at his wife, who giggled quietly into the soft cotton material of his robe.

"Finn, it's your sister," Rebekah said from the other end, in a sort of clipped, unreadable tone.

Finn heard Rebekah's tone, his grin disappearing. "Rebekah, what's wrong?"

"It's the family, Finn, we're in trouble," Rebekah said. "The con artist who wormed her way into our lives, pretending to be my sister-in-law has escaped from jail, along with the boy she was in league with."

"What?" Finn asked. "Why, and how?"

"I'm not sure on the how, but as far as the why, I'd say she wants revenge."

**Back in New York**…

Sabrina had just come down for breakfast, a grin on her face, when the doorbell rings. She heads in that direction instead of going to the kitchen like she'd intended, her eyes going wide at the sight of the gun being held up against her niece Ruby. "Get inside. Now," the feminine voice demanded and Sabrina did as she asked, trembling with fear while the female brought Ruby inside, still holding the gun to Ruby.

Sabrina felt her heart hammer as she looked at the woman that had Ruby at gun point. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Lydia McDermott," the woman replied, pushing Ruby forward and into Sabrina's arms. "Your little friends knew me by my alias, Arietta Salvatore. That plan was working perfectly until Damon became wise to my trick, which led to my arrest, as if any jail could hold me. To answer your second question, I'm here for revenge."

"But why target me, and my family?" Sabrina demanded. Behind her back, her fingers were sending out a quick text message to her sister.

Lydia scoffed. "Oh, why not target you and your family? You're related to the Salvatore family through your sister's marriage to Stefan." She grinned. "And my friend has a personal score to settle with Damon's oldest daughter. He'll make short work of her, I can tell you that, and it won't matter if she's with that nephew of yours. He'll be dealt with."

"You leave Liam alone, got it, bitch?" Sabrina growled at the other woman.

Lydia scowled at Sabrina. "You're in no position to be threatening anyone, little girl. As for leaving 'Liam' alone, I'm afraid we can't do that. Luke sees him as a target, just like Carrie and that baby in her belly."

"Are you threatening my sister, bitch?" Rebekah demanded from behind Lydia. "Because no one threatens Sabrina, and it's time that you understand why!" She jumped on the other woman's back and grabbed her in a choke-hold, while yelling, "Sabrina, get Ruby out of here, NOW!"

Sabrina did as she was told, guiding her blind niece out the front door, where they were met by Mikael and Eleanor, who had just pulled up to the house.

Sabrina was nearly out of breath when she arrived at her parents' car, her hand in Ruby's. Eleanor hugged them both, relieved that they were unharmed. Mikael was just as relieved. "I'm glad you're both all right, Sabrina. When Rebekah told us about your ordeal, we were worried sick."

"You're not the only one, Father," Sabrina said. You should've heard the things she said to me."

"It doesn't matter now," Eleanor said. "What matters now is that you and Ruby are safe."

From behind the group, tires squealing in protest could be heard coming up the long driveway, and they all turned to see that Elijah was driving, with Katherine in the passenger seat. Her lips were moving, and Eleanor shook her head with a smile, knowing her daughter in law was yelling at her husband for his reckless driving.

Mikael watched as Eleanor, Ruby, and Sabrina got into the car and then, hearing the fight in the house, went inside to see Rebekah and Lydia locked in a fierce fight. He then got out his cell phone and dialed the police. He had every intention of stopping the threat before it escalated beyond their control.

In Elijah's car, Katherine was yelling at him rapidly in two different languages, and although he understood some, he didn't know it all. "Katherine. Please, let me concentrate on the road," he finally commanded through gritted teeth.

**Damon & Elena's House – That Same Moment**…

Liam pulled into the driveway of Carrie's childhood home and helped her out, leading her to the front door. Before he could knock, Damon opened the door. "Were you followed?"

"No," he replied. "I did look in my rearview mirror every few seconds just to be safe." He heard another car pulling in and when he saw his parents' Suburban, he relaxed. "I see you called them."

Damon nodded. "Yes. I called them after I hung up with you."

Liam nodded as well and escorted Carrie inside. Klaus and Caroline climbed out of their car, along with Ana, Lily, Christian and Sebastian. Damon was about to wonder why, but then again, he knew that they wanted to make sure that their other children were safe as well.

**Back at Mikaelson Manor**…

Rebekah and Lydia were still struggling to get the gun away from the other person and Eleanor watched in horror when Mikael got in the middle of it and the ricochet of a gunshot went off. "MIKAEL!" she screamed, running toward the house, falling down onto her knees beside him. "Mikael, baby, please, don't leave me!"

"I love you, my darling Eleanor," he said, fighting with every breath to stay awake.

Rebekah saw her father get shot. "FATHER, NO!" She growled at Lydia. "YOU ARE A MONSTER! THAT WAS MY FATHER YOU SHOT!"

"And what are you going to do about it, Blondie?" Lydia said with a smirk. Rebekah didn't answer with words, preparing to tackle her to the floor when Eleanor stopped her.

"No, Rebekah, violence isn't going to bring him back," her stepmother scolded softly. Rebekah looked to Eleanor for confirmation and the older blonde nodded. "He's gone."

Rebekah felt tears sting her eyes. She heard Lydia laughing at her and, despite Eleanor's advice about no violence; she still knocked her out with a single punch.

**Author's Note:** I know that this had a sad ending, but I had to make a few sacrifices to make this chapter flow the way Erin and I wanted it to. We hope you enjoyed this update and that you'll come back for more!


	14. Chapter 14

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Mikael dies after Lydia accidentally shoots him, when she shows up at the Mikaelson mansion to get her revenge._**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**A Week after the Shooting**

Eleanor sobbed as Finn held her up in front of the casket that held Mikael. The eldest of the siblings rubbed his stepmother's back as soothingly as he could. On the other side, Sage looked over at her husband, putting a forced smile onto her face but Finn could see that she wanted to break down as well.

Liam was next to pay his respects. He knew that it was dangerous to be here, but he wanted to do this, since he loved his grandfather dearly and to not be there for his funeral wouldn't be right. Although he was grieving on the outside, it was clear on the inside, he was planning revenge on the ones who killed him. It didn't matter if it was an accident, because it was murder, no mistake about it. Klaus saw how angry his eldest son was as he walked away from the casket, and, excusing himself from Caroline, gently took Liam's arm and led him outside, where they could talk without scaring anyone.

Once outside, Klaus started things off. "Son, I know what you're planning and it won't make things better if you get vengeance."

Liam looked at his father, tears streaming down his face. "I don't care, Father! I refuse to accept that this was an accident! This was murder, cold, sick, twisted murder!" He made a fist. "Grandfather deserves justice, and so help me, I'll kill those monsters for what they've done to him!"

Klaus then did something he never did before. He grabbed Liam by the lapels of his jacket and slapped him on both sides of his face. "Liam Niklaus Mikaelson, you will stop this at once, do you understand me? I realize how much your grandfather meant to you, to this entire family, and that you feel the need to avenge him, but do you really want to risk your life by carrying out your revenge plan? Your poor mother already tried to commit suicide once, and if she found out that she lost you, I might not be able to talk her out of it. And Carrie, why, I know you love that girl with every breath in your body. Do you really want to make her a widow before you're even married?"

His son began to cry harder, falling to his knees and Klaus felt bad for his son as he knelt down next to him.

Klaus then pulled Liam into his arms and hugged him, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm so sorry, Liam. I didn't mean to hit you like that."

At that moment, Carrie came outside, having gotten concerned when Liam didn't return. She saw him on his knees and in his father's arms. She then approached them and knelt down in front of them, wrapping her arms around them. Liam pulled her to him, clutching onto her hair, trembling as he felt the black velvet against his skin.

"Hush, Liam, I'm here," she whispered and he nodded eagerly, holding her in a gentle but still tight embrace.

Klaus pulled back then, letting the couple hug, and got up in time to see Caroline coming toward them. She had seen Carrie come out and wanted to see what was going on. Her husband approached her and when they got close enough, he pulled her into his arms. Caroline did the same, even though she didn't know why he was doing it.

"Nik, what's going on?"

"It's Liam, love," he replied. "He's really upset."

"I could imagine," Caroline said. "He was very close to his grandfather." She looked over his shoulder and saw Carrie and Liam hugging. "If anyone can make him feel better, it's Carrie."

"Agreed," Klaus said as he kissed the side of his wife's head soundly.

It wasn't long before Liam had calmed himself down and then pulled back to look into Carrie's eyes, bringing his hands up to her face and massaging her cheeks with his thumbs. Carrie placed her hands on top of his and kissed him gently. "I know you miss him, and believe me, I miss him too. I considered him to be my other grandfather."

Liam nodded. "He didn't have to die the way he did. That woman had no right to take him from us."

"Liam, I know. Please, try to calm down, okay? You'll scare the baby," Carrie said softly.

Liam bit his lip and placed his hand on her belly. "I'm so sorry, love." He then kissed her belly. "I'm so, so sorry."

"We're going to be okay, as long as you keep the stress down," she told him with a soft smile.

Liam nodded. "I'll try, Carrie. I'll definitely try…for you and the baby."

"Thank you," she said softly, hugging him again.

**Meanwhile**…

Sage held Finn's hand as he said his own goodbyes to his father, her head resting on his shoulder. Her thumb stroked over his hand when his fingers tightened around hers, turning to him when he did the same and held him as he cried into her shoulder. "Hush, baby, I'm here," she said softly as she ran her hands up and down his back to comfort him.

Finn nodded tearfully. "I just miss him so much."

"I miss him too," his wife replied. "He was a good man who loved his family."

They both turned when they heard the screams of his sisters and rushed to see what the fuss was about. Sage grasped Rebekah into her arms while Finn rushed out with his brothers attempting to follow after the car that their stepmother was driving, but to no avail.

Finn stomped his foot in frustration as Eleanor drove away. "Damn it, where is she going?"

"I don't know," said Elijah. "I just hope that she doesn't do anything too reckless."

**Later, at the Manor**…

Sage relaxed against Finn as they sat on the couch together while his hand moved over the buttons of the remote. Finally, she took it out of his hand and rolled over until she was on top of him. "Finn, are you still worried about Eleanor?" she asked softly.

Finn sighed. "Yes, I am. She lost the man she loved, Sage, and that can make a woman do all kinds of crazy things. In fact, I was even worried about Liam. The boy was close with Father, adored him every bit as he adored his father. If Carrie hadn't calmed him down, he would've done the same thing Eleanor did." He ran a hand through his hair. "I should've done something, Sage. I should've helped to calm her down. If anything happens to her, it'll be my fault."

His wife nodded and relaxed against him, her head resting on his chest as his arms wrapped around her, kissing the top of her head gently. "I love you, Finn," she whispered before letting her eyes drift closed.

Finn forced a smile at her words. "I love you too, my Irish Rose."

He sighed and held her close, running his fingers through her hair.

The next morning, Sage woke up to find that she'd been moved to a bed upstairs, the same bed that she and Finn were staying in for the duration of the estate settlement. She lifted her head when she heard the soft murmur of voices coming from downstairs.

Sage carefully got out of bed and went down to the kitchen, where she saw Ruby and Sabrina, as well as… "Eleanor?"

Eleanor smiled at the redhead. "Hello, Sage. I'm sorry I worried you yesterday."

"Well, you worried Finn, that's for sure," Sage said. "Where did you go?"

"I wanted to clear my head for a bit. I couldn't take being at the funeral anymore," Eleanor said. "So, I went to the park and sat in the bench that Mikael and I loved to sit in, thinking about all the happy times we had together."

Her stepdaughter-in-law nods before turning to Sabrina. "He's outside, in the garden," the blonde told her before Sage could ask where Finn was. Sage nodded again before heading out the back door to find her husband drinking a cup of coffee.

"Hi," she said once she sat down next to him.

Finn looked up from his cup, smiling at her. "Hi. Did you see Eleanor?"

"I did," she replied. "She said that she went to the park because she wanted to clear her head a bit."

"Well, I guess I can't really blame her for what she did," Finn said. "I probably would've done the same thing." He sighed. "Still, I was worried about her."

"I know you were," Sage said. "Your body language last night spoke volumes."

Her husband turned in time to see her disappearing into the house and he put his cup down on the counter after following her inside, ignoring the looks from his stepmother, sister and daughter as he went after her, finding her upstairs with the door to their bedroom locked. "Sage, come on, love, let me in," he said in a soft plea.

"No, Finn," his wife replied. "You can beg all you want, but I'm not letting you in here."

"And why not, Sage; what have I done to anger you?" Finn said. "Tell me what I did so that I can at least try to acquit myself."

"You never try hard enough to consider my feelings, Finn," she said from the other side, finally opening the door a crack. It gave Finn the opening he needed to push his way into the bedroom before closing the door behind him and locking it.

When Finn entered the room, he looked Sage in the eye. "I'm sorry, Sage. I really am." He got on his knees. "See? I'm on my knees for you."

Sage sniffed a little, wiping the tears away as she looked down at him. "It's no wonder why I love you, Finnegan. You're such a wonderful man," she said before tugging him up to her, smiling against his lips before kissing him softly.

Finn returned her kiss. "I love you, my Irish Rose. I'll always love you."

Sage nodded. "I love you too."

Downstairs, Eleanor helped Sabrina get Ruby into her coat before the mother and daughter took the eldest Mikaelson grandchild out to the car. Eleanor had a good feeling that her stepson and stepdaughter-in-law were about to have some private time and wouldn't want anyone else to be present, least of all their own daughter. Back in the house, Finn kissed his wife quickly on the lips before guiding her hands to the buttons of his shirt.

Sage smiled as she then ripped his shirt open, sending the buttons flying across the room, and peeling the shirt from his chest, running her fingers across the smooth skin before leaning down and kissing his chest, earning her a soft moan from him.

Finn growled when her lips moved further down his chest until she stopped at his belt, her fingers tugging the leather material and unbuckling it before going for the button and zipper. "Sage, love, don't tease," he said between gritted teeth.

Sage licked her lips at his words. "You want to cut right to the chase, huh? Good. That means warm-up time is over and the real fun can begin."

She got the button and zipper of his pants undone, yanking them down before getting up and walking toward the bed, Finn following her onto the cool sheets. Once there, Sage wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a hot, deep, passionate kiss.

He growled, the sound practically ripping from inside his chest as he rolled them over until she was on top. Sage grinned as she took him in hand, teasing him a little before gasping when he flipped them back over. "Fun time is over now, love," he said before claiming her lips with his.

Sage moaned against his mouth as she returned his kiss and, feeling herself getting close, she threw her head back and let out a scream of pleasure. She loved these moments with him, especially afterward, when she could curl up into him.

**Author's Note:** Yes, Erin and I know this is rather short chapter, but I'm going to put her (Erin) next part in the first part of the next chapter. We hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	15. Chapter 15

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", the Mikaelson siblings bury Mikael._**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Salvatore Summer Estate, Tuscany, Italy – That Same Moment**

Damon walked into the stables, a saddle under his arm and a bridle in his hand. He was feeling a bit restless, and one of the best ways he knew how to cure that, other than seeking Elena out, was to go riding, his favorite past time at the summer home. When he got to the stall on the far end, he saw his prized black stallion, Phantom, stick his head out, having heard him coming toward him.

Damon smiled at the horse as he said, "Hey there, boy." He used his free hand to stroke his nose. "Did you miss me? I definitely missed you. How about we go for a little ride, huh?"

Phantom bobbed his head up and down, earning him another smile from his owner. Damon then removed his halter and placed the bridle on before going into the stall and putting the saddle on Phantom's back. Once the horse was tacked, Damon then led him out of the stall and once they were out of the barn, he climbed up onto the saddle and rode out into the fields that surrounded the property.

He had just gotten into a private area when he noticed another horse tied to a tree and he glanced around to see who was there, shaking his head when Elena appeared out from behind the same tree, grinning at him.

Damon gave her a stern look. "Elena, what are you doing out here? You know you shouldn't be riding in your condition."

Elena pouted at her husband. She knew he was going to lecture her, being a protective father. "I just wanted to join you. Is that too much to ask? Besides, I was bored being by the pool." She approached her buckskin mare, Christine, stroking her nose. "I realize you're concerned about me because I'm carrying our baby, Damon, but a little ride isn't going to hurt me."

Damon sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this. "All right, I suppose I could use some company. But, I want you to be careful."

"I'll be careful," Elena said. "Christine is a good girl and she would never do anything that would harm me."

He shook a finger at her, still grinning as he stepped closer once he'd climbed down from the saddle. "I love you, Elena," he said before kissing her softly.

Elena smiled against his lips and returned his kiss. "I love you too, Damon. I'm sorry if I've been a bit of a pain lately."

"Cara mia, you don't have to apologize," Damon said. "You're just hormonal. I mean, just before I went out to the barn to saddle Phantom up, I heard Carrie giving Liam an earful. Poor kid, he felt like he had done something wrong, even if he watched the way Klaus was with Caroline."

His wife smiled again, her dark hair falling around her face as she shook her head. "But, you have to love Carrie, despite all her faults and the ups and downs," she told Damon.

Damon smiled. "Of course I love her, Elena. She's my little girl, no matter how old she gets. And I guarantee you that I'm going to love our grandchild."

"I know," Elena said. "You're going to spoil him or her rotten."

"And I will spoil our other child too," he said as he put a gentle set of hands on her small bump.

Elena smiled as she felt his hands on her bump. "It gives me something to look forward to." She kissed him. "Now, let's go for a ride before I change my mind and we do something naughty out here, huh?"

"I love you, Elena Salvatore," he said before helping her into the saddle on Christine.

Elena smiled as he helped her up. "I love you too, Damon Salvatore." She then got an idea. "Catch me if you can."

Damon then saw her nudge the mare into a gallop. He shook his head and climbed onto Phantom, nudging him into a gallop after her.

He caught up with her just before they got to the edge of the river bank at the back of their property.

Elena saw Damon catching up to her and laughed as she urged Christine go faster. Damon saw what she was doing and urged Phantom to go faster as well. He didn't know what Elena was up to by teasing him like this, but he did know that he wasn't as restless as he was before he came out here.

**Elsewhere**…

Carrie sat with her feet in the pool, gazing up at the sky. She had come out here to calm down after she had another mood swing. Speaking of which, she felt bad about yelling at Liam earlier. Here she had just told him to keep the stress level down and she wasn't helping matters by being all hormonal. She placed her hand on her small bump, gently rubbing it.

"Hi, sweetheart," an accented female voice said from beside her and Carrie turned to find her aunt Rebekah standing there.

"Hi Aunt Rebekah," Carrie said with a smile.

Rebekah took off her shoes and joined her niece. "I saw you out here by yourself and thought I'd join you." She noticed that Carrie's smile faded. "What's wrong, Carrie?"

"I yelled at Liam earlier."

"Oh, I see, mood swings again, eh?" Rebekah said. "I remember those all too well. I must've put your poor Uncle Stefan through so much hell with the ones I had." She put her arm around her niece's shoulders. "Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much. You and Liam are inseparable, so if I know him, which I do, he's going to have something special to cheer you up with."

"Yeah, I know," Carrie said. "And the ironic part is that at your father's funeral, when he was all upset, I told him to keep the stress level down so that he wouldn't scare the baby. Guess I didn't really help matters by having these damn mood swings."

Rebekah nodded and gave her niece a gentle squeeze. "Once you make it past the fourth month, they'll go away," she told Carrie.

Carrie raised an eyebrow. "I have to wait that long for them to go away?"

"I know it sounds like a long time, but it'll go by fast," Rebekah said. "You're a Salvatore, and you're strong."

Carrie nodded then turned when a shadow form appeared behind her. Her head turned and she smiled up at Liam and her Uncle Stefan.

Liam returned her smile. "Our ears must've been ringing, because we thought you two were talking about us just now."

The brunette smiled then stood up and hugged Liam, who returned her hug, kissing the top of her head.

Carrie then kissed him softly on the lips. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Liam. I feel so bad."

Liam returned her kiss before stepping back and caressing her cheek. "You have nothing to apologize for, love. I know it was just a mood swing." He kissed her again. "I love you, Carrie. Nothing, not even a mood swing, will make me stop loving you. I'm in this for the long haul. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if I wasn't."

Hearing his words brought tears to her eyes. "It's no wonder why I love you, Liam. You always know just what to say."

Inside the house, Caroline was sitting on the couch when her cell phone rang. She set her book down on the coffee table then picked up her phone, looking at the caller ID and seeing that it was Vicki Donovan Talbot calling her. "This is Caroline Mikaelson," she said politely.

"Caroline, its Vicki; I have bad news," was all Caroline heard.

"Vicki? Vicki? Vicki, are you there? VICKI!" Caroline was in a real panic when she didn't receive an answer from her friend. What kind of bad news was she about to tell her? Klaus heard his wife's panicked voice and came into the room, sitting on the couch next to her.

"Caroline, are you all right, love? I heard you scream."

"I…I just got a call from Vicki," she replied. "She told me that she had bad news."

"What kind of bad news?" Klaus said.

"I don't know, I didn't get to hear it," Caroline said. "I've got a bad feeling about this, Nik. Whatever bad news she was about to tell me, it could mean anything from Aubrey taking a turn for the worse or something else."

Klaus nodded and took her hands in his, squeezing them gently and then kissing them. He didn't like what was going on any more than she did.

They both turned back to the phone when they heard Vicki calling back through the line. Caroline picked the phone up again but Klaus took it from her. "Victoria, this is Klaus. What's going on?" he asked the other woman.

"It's Aubrey. She's…she passed away last night," Vicki said simply.

Klaus looked at Caroline as he said, "But, I thought she still had four months?"

"Her heart gave out in her sleep," Vicki said. "Zane and I got the call and we're making arrangements."

"Is there anything you'd want us to do?" Klaus said. "We'd come there if we could, but…"

"Just tell Liam and Carrie about it," Vicki said. "They were Aubrey's closest friends and I think they deserve to know."

"We will do that, Victoria. Thank you for calling," Klaus said before ending the call.

Caroline bit her lip as Klaus hung up the phone. "This isn't fair, Nik. I mean, first Mikael, now Aubrey."

"I know it isn't," her husband replied. "I don't like this any more than you do, but these things happen whether we're ready for them or not."

Caroline nodded. "Liam and Carrie are going to be devastated when we tell them."

"Tell us what, Mother?"

Klaus and Caroline turned and saw Liam and Carrie coming in, hand in hand. There was a silence between the four of them until Klaus decided to speak, seeing that Caroline was having difficulty finding the words. "Liam, son…that was Aubrey's mother; Aubrey…well, she passed away last night."

"What?" Carrie said. "But, I thought she had four months left?"

"We did too," Klaus said. "Unfortunately, her heart gave out and she died in her sleep."

Liam tried not to get too upset, remembering his promise to Carrie, even though it was difficult. "What…What are we going to do, Father? It's too dangerous for us to go to the funeral, as much as we'd like to." He clenched his free hand into a fist and then let go of Carrie's hand. "I've got to get some air."

Then, before Carrie could say anything, he walked back out to the pool area. Carrie sighed and then looked at Klaus and Caroline. "I'm really worried about Liam. I know that he's trying to keep himself calm, but I'm afraid that this new piece of information is going to drive him over the edge."

Caroline nodded. "I know, sweetie. You love him and yet, you're at a crossroads as far as what to do. You want to be there for him, but at the same time, you want to give him his space."

"Exactly," Carrie said. "So, what should I do? Should I got to him and try to talk to him? Or should I leave him alone for a while?"

"Why don't you let him be for a bit, sweetie? He probably wants to think about his memories with Aubrey," Caroline said.

Carrie hesitated a bit, but then nodded. She almost forgot that Liam and Aubrey used to date. "You're right. I should give him some space for a bit. When he's ready, I'll go to him."

As she finished speaking, tears stung her eyes and flowed down her cheeks. Caroline looked at Klaus and then got up off the couch, going over to her future daughter-in-law, hugging her and running her fingers through her hair. Klaus got up and hugged both of them.

**Outside**…

Liam walked into the garden that was located next to the pool. The scent of the flowers was heavenly, even though he didn't really pay much attention to it because he was still in shock over his former girlfriend's death. He knew that it would come, but not this soon. Despite the fact that she had gone peacefully in her sleep, it didn't make him feel any less hurt.

"It's hard to believe you're actually gone, Aubrey," he whispered, more to himself than anyone in particular. "It seems like just yesterday when I found out that you were sick." Tears stung his eyes and he let them fall. "I miss you already." He sobbed. "Why the bloody hell did you have to go so soon? I'm still crying to recover from my grandfather's death."

He then fell to his knees and continued to sob, shaking with sadness.

**In New York**…

Vicki walked into the house ahead of Zane, her eyes red from all the tears she'd cried and her legs feeling like lead as she forced herself to move over to the couch and sit down on it.

Zane went over to the couch and hugged his ex-wife to him, seeing that she was about to cry again, and placed her head on his shoulder. "I miss her too, Vick."

A sob escaped her throat as she replied, "It just isn't fair, Zane. A parent isn't supposed to bury her child; it's supposed to be other way around. I know she went peacefully, but it doesn't make me feel better. She was my baby, my little girl, and now she's gone."

Her ex-husband nodded and kissed the top of her head then looked down when he saw her unbuttoning his shirt. "Vicki, you're…we can't do this right now," he tried to talk sense into her.

Vicki shook her head as he continued to unbutton his shirt. "I don't care, Zane. I need you to comfort me. Please, just distract me, I beg you."

Zane pulled away before she could get at the last button and made her look him in the eye. "Vicki, listen to me, okay? You're upset and you're not thinking clearly. I appreciate the fact that you want me to comfort you, and believe me, part of me wants to oblige you, but another part of me is saying that it's wrong."

Vicki nodded tearfully. "You're right, I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was thinking."

"Hey, don't apologize," Zane said. "You're emotional right now because of Aubrey." He sighed. "I'll be here for you, just not for that."

**Author's Note:** I think it's hard to write a couple having "grief sex", but I think I can try and do it in the next chapter, don't you?


	16. Chapter 16

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Aubrey passes away in her sleep, and Klaus and Caroline break the news to Liam and Carrie._**

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Later that Night – New York**

Vicki was reading a book in the library of the home that she'd shared with Zane when she felt herself being shifted into a seating position from her previous position of her legs and shoulders sprawled out over the arms. "Zane," she said before getting cut off by his mouth crashing to hers.

Zane growled playfully against her lips and pulled away momentarily to say, "Still need that distraction, Vicki?"

She nodded and pulled his head back down to hers.

Zane kissed her passionately and urgently, running his hands up and down her body.

Vicki pushed him toward the bookshelf nearest to him, and Zane turned them around, his fingers sifting into her dark blonde hair and tilting her head back.

Vicki moaned against his lips as she felt him tilting her head back. The raw passion that was burning all around them was just as hot as it was when they were still married, perhaps even hotter.

"I need you, Zane," she whispered when his mouth moved down her cheek and into her neck, which she arched to assist him. Zane nodded and leaned back then pulled his shirt up and off, throwing it onto the floor behind him.

Vicki undid the buttons of her blouse and threw it on the floor. She also took off her skirt and threw it on the floor by her discarded blouse, leaving her bra and panties for Zane to remove. Zane licked his lips at the sight of her and attacked her lips again, reaching behind her to undo the clasps of her bra, caressing her breasts gently before leaning down to capture one of her nipples with his mouth, suckling on it.

Picking her up, Zane carried her up the stairs and into his bedroom, which used to be theirs.

Once in the room, Zane carried Vicki to the bed, following her onto the cool sheets.

She wrapped her arms around his neck then pushed him onto his back.

Once she had Zane on his back, Vicki kissed down his chest until she got to his pants, loosening his belt and undoing the button and zipper.

Zane groaned and let his hands move into her hair as she went further down.

Vicki pulled down Zane's pants and underwear, licking her lips before moving up and taking his hands into hers, helping him take off her panties before she straddled him, gliding him into her and began gyrate her hips against him. Zane smiled and began to thrust in time with her gyrations, slow at first, but then gradually picked up speed, wanting to enjoy the moment.

**The Next Morning**…

Riley arrived at his childhood home and went inside without knocking.

Vicki heard footsteps downstairs and, throwing on her housecoat, went to see who it was. When she saw Riley, she put her hand on her heart. "Oh, Riley, you startled me there for a second."

"Sorry, Mom," he told her with an apologetic smile. He glanced around. "What are you doing here anyway?"

Vicki bit her lip. "I was…just looking for some pictures of Aubrey to display at the funeral."

Her son stepped closer and sniffed her. "You smell like Dad. Oh my god you two are back together, aren't you? That's why you're here, isn't it? You wanted Dad back," he said, grinning when he stepped back.

Vicki was about to reply when Zane appeared, also dressed in a housecoat. He kissed her neck and when he saw Riley, he said, "Hey there, sport."

"Hi, Dad," his son replied. "Are you and Mom really back together? I didn't get an answer from her."

Zane smiled and pulled Vicki into his arms. "Yes, Riley, we are. Even though it was originally supposed to be a distraction from her grief over your sister, something happened that made us realize that we could give this another go."

Vicki was surprised by this but smiled at her ex-husband and kissed him softly on the lips.

Riley watched his parents kiss and smiled. He then looked up toward heaven and whispered, "Thank you, Aubrey, for bringing our parents back together."

Just then, there was another knock on the front door and Riley went to answer it, hugging his grandma Kelly.

Kelly returned her grandson's hug. "How have you been holding up, Riley?"

"It's been rough, but I'm trying to cope," he replied. "My girlfriend, Penny, is also a big help."

Vicki spoke up then. "Hello, Mom."

"Hello, Vicki," her mother replied. "How are you?" She noticed Zane in his housecoat and then her daughter in hers. "Okay, did I miss something here? Why are you two dressed in bathrobes?"

Vicki blushed. "Well, um, I came down to make breakfast for Riley when he got here, and Zane had just taken a shower," she lied through her teeth.

Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like I was born yesterday, Victoria Marie? I can tell you're lying. You know how? Your eye is twitching and you're blushing, which means you're not being honest with me."

Zane laughed. "Okay, Kelly, you caught us. Vicki and I…well, we had both grief sex and make up in the same night."

His words made Vicki blush even more. "Stop it, Zane! You're not helping!"

"What? I'm only telling her the truth," her ex-husband replied.

Vicki sighed and shook her head. "I know, and I appreciate it." She looked at her mother. "Yes, Mom, Zane and I did make up last night. We realized that we were better together than we are apart. I just wish it didn't have to take Aubrey's death for that to happen, because I feel like calling her and telling her about it, but I know I can't."

Zane hugged her to him from behind and she turned around, squeezing his back gently through the silk of his robe.

**Salvatore Summer Estate – That Same Moment**…

Liam dried his hair and body as soon as he stepped out of the shower. He was still numb from hearing about Aubrey, but he was calmer than he was before. He wrapped a towel around his waist and walked into the bedroom he and Carrie shared, where he saw her standing in the doorway, her eyes red from crying. His heart breaking at the sight of her, Liam went over to her and hugged her, running his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to just walk away from you like that and not let you comfort me."

"No, Liam, it's all right," she replied. "Your mother told me to let you be so that you could think about your memories of Aubrey, since you guys used to date before we got back together."

"It's not all right," Liam said. "True, I needed space to reflect, but at the same time, I was selfish. We should've mourned her together."

"Who says we can't?" Carrie said. "Liam, we can still mourn her together. She was part of both of us."

Liam had to smile at this. He liked the way his fiancé thought about their needs together.

Carrie stepped back and took his face in her hands, massaging his cheeks. "I love you, Liam. We'll get through this together, I promise you."

Liam nodded and placed his hands on top of hers. "I love you too." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "And I have no doubt in my mind that we'll get through this together."

Carrie kissed him one more time then stepped back. "Let's go shopping!" she said excitedly.

Liam smiled at her and kissed her again. "That sounds like a fine idea, love. While we're there, we can buy an anniversary gift for my parents."

"Oh, yes, definitely." She eyed him up and down. "As much as I like the sight of you with just a towel on, I doubt the people in town will appreciate it."

Liam looked down at himself and realized she was right. "I'll get dressed then."

With that being said, he excused himself and went to get some clothes on.

**Later**…

Liam held Carrie's hand as they walked into an older-looking shop that had vintage dresses.

Carrie was in awe of the dresses in the shop, examining the hem of a few of them.

"Those are beautiful," she remarked. "One of them even looks like the one Audrey Hepburn wore in Roman Holiday; doesn't it?"

Liam smiled. "I think you'd look ravishing in that one."

"I think so too. I'm going to go try it on," she said before gently removing it from the rack and heading toward the dressing rooms in the back.

Liam waited as Carrie tried on the dress. When she came out, he felt his jaw go slack. "Wow, you look beautiful."

Carrie smiled. "Thank you."

Back at the house, Alexis Salvatore was sprawled out on the bed with her laptop on her lap when she looked up and saw her mother coming in.

Rebekah smiled at her daughter. "Are you emailing your friends back home?"

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, it's kind of quiet in the house. Liam and Carrie are out shopping, Aunt Care and Uncle Nik went to Venice for the day, I don't know what Aunt Elena and Uncle Damon are doing, and I guess Damian, Dominic, Juliet and Katie are outside by the pool with Ana, Christian, Lily and Sebastian." Curiously, she added, "What are you up to, Mom?"

"Nothing," Rebekah said. "Your father is on the phone with your Aunt Lexi, so I thought I'd see how you were."

"I'm doing fine. I was just telling Tanya about one of the cute Italian boys I met today while I was out," Alexis told her mom. Rebekah was suddenly intrigued and scooted up until she was sitting next to her daughter.

Rebekah smiled at her daughter. "Tell me more about this boy you met today. Is he as cute as your father?"

"His name is Paulo. I met him when one of the other guys 'accidentally' bumped me into the water," Alexis replied with a big, dopey grin.

Rebekah nodded. "Which one of the guys did it?"

"Not sure," Alexis said. "I think it might have been Damian or Dominic. You know how goofy they are."

Her mother nodded again before turning to the doorway when Stefan appeared. "Guess who is on her way here," he said. Alexis squealed and put her laptop aside, hugging her father on the way out of her bedroom.

Alexis smiled at her father. "YAY, Aunt Lexi is coming!"

Stefan grinned, knowing that she loved Lexi, since she'd been named for the other blonde. Stefan nodded. "Yes, your Aunt Lexi is coming to visit us. I know she's looking forward to seeing you."

"We can go shopping and I can tell her about Paulo!" Alexis said excitedly.

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "Who is she talking about?"

Rebekah giggled. "She's talking about Paulo. The boy she met today."

Stefan shakes his head. "Just be careful, Alexis Rayne," he told his daughter before kissing his daughter's forehead.

Alexis nodded. "I will, Daddy." She kissed her father's cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart," said Stefan. "You and your brothers are and always will be my most precious possessions."

"What about me?" Rebekah asked with a pout from the bed. Stefan grinned then hugged his daughter one more time before heading toward his wife.

Stefan took Rebekah's hands, lifted her off the bed, and pulled her into his arms, kissing her. "You're also my most precious possession, Bekah."

Rebekah giggled and returned his kiss. "That's good to know. I almost thought you were leaving me out."

"I would never leave you out of anything," Stefan said. "We're partners for life."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "You two are worse than Aunt Elena, Uncle Damon, Aunt Care and Uncle Nik combined."

"And what's wrong with that, Alexis?" Rebekah said with a grin at her husband.

Stefan looked at his daughter. "Yes, Alexis, what's wrong with that?"

"I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with it," she replied. "It's just that they sound like they're in romantic comedies when they talk to each other the way you're talking to each other now." She tapped her finger on her chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, Carrie and Liam do that too."

**Author's Note:** We hoped that you enjoyed seeing one more younger sibling make their appearance. We'll probably see more of Alexis (and maybe Paulo) soon!


	17. Chapter 17

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Vicki and Zane reunite, Liam and Carrie go shopping, and Alexis has a new love interest._**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Back in the States**…

Meredith was sorting through some pill bottles in the pharmacy when she felt a hand covering her eyes and a soft voice saying, "Hello, Merry."

Meredith pulled away and when she turned around, she saw… "John? What are you doing here?"

He grinned. "I thought I would surprise you. Where's your husband, at home?" he asked with another grin.

Meredith nodded. "He went home about two hours ago. I'm staying to go over the inventory." She shook her head. "I have to admit, I am surprised."

"Are you going to be surprised when I do this?" he asked in a low voice, hands coming up to relinquish her hold on the medicine bottles before gently pushing them above her head.

Meredith gasped when John pushed her hands up over her head. "Oh, yeah, definitely surprised."

John smiled and got closer. "That's good, because I especially want you to be surprised when I do this." He then captured her lips with his in a deep and passionate kiss. Meredith's eyes opened wide at that, but then, she returned his kiss. She knew that she wasn't supposed to be enjoying this, but part of her was. John Gilbert was certainly full of surprises, she'd give him that.

"I missed you, John," she whispered when he broke the kiss to paint a trail of kisses down into her neck.

John smiled. "I missed you too, Merry." He kissed her neck again. "You're so beautiful."

Meredith smiled then took his hands in hers, lowering them to her backside, which he squeezed gently and pressed himself against her.

Meredith panted as she felt John's hands on her and let out a moan.

"Take me, John," she demanded as she rocked her hips against his.

John obliged her carried her over the counter, removing their clothes.

She bit down gently on her bottom lip as her body met with the cool surface of the metal counter but she still smiled up at John as he joined her.

John smiled down at her and captured her lips with his as he grabbed her hips and drove himself into her, thrusting hard and fast against her. Meredith tore her mouth away from his and let out a soft scream of pleasure. "That's it, Merry. Let me know you're enjoying this," he said with a smirk.

Meredith nodded and let out a scream of pleasure.

**A Little While Later**…

Meredith traced circles on John's chest while they cooled down from their earlier escapade.

John noticed that Meredith wasn't talking much and said, "Are you okay, Merry? You're awfully quiet."

"I'm okay, I'm just thinking," she replied. "Things haven't exactly been pleasant around here. In case you haven't heard, Brady's brother, Luke, is still on the loose. They caught his partner, but he's still out there and I shudder to think of what he might do. Luke isn't a very stable young man."

"I think I know what you're talking about," John said. "My niece, Carrie, made the mistake of getting involved with him."

Meredith sat up a little and looked at him in shock. "I didn't know this," she said, glancing away again when she heard her cell phone beep from inside her skirt's pocket. "I should get that, it's probably Brady wondering where I'm at."

John let her get up to answer her phone, watching her.

While she talked with her husband, John dressed then waited for her to get done on the phone.

Meredith hung up a few minutes later and got dressed, looking at John. "I'd hate to do this to you, John, but I have to get home. Brady said that he doesn't want me out late, in case Luke is snooping around the hospital."

John nodded. "If you have to leave, then I won't stop you. Did you want me to drive you home?"

"Are you crazy? Brady will get suspicious if he sees us together," Meredith said. "It's not that I don't appreciate the gesture, John, I do, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

John nodded again then moved close to her. "I gave you up once, Merry, but I'm not going to give you up again," he vowed before kissing her softly on the lips and leaving the hospital.

Meredith arrived home and Brady smiled at her. "Hey, Merry," he said, greeting her with a soft kiss.

"Hello, Brady," she replied. "Sorry I'm so late. We had a lot more inventory than I thought." Brady nodded and kissed her again before Meredith yawned. "I think I'll head up to bed now. Good night, Brady."

Brady nodded and let Meredith go upstairs. He knew that she was lying, but he told himself to wait before confronting her about it.

**The Next Morning**…

Meredith left the house early and headed to the Lockwood mansion, where her sister lived with Tyler. She knocked briskly on the door then stepped back to wait for her sister to answer the door.

Meghan opened the door and saw Meredith. "Merry, hi, what are you doing here?"

"I can't keep lying to Brady!" Meredith said truthfully to her twin sister. Meghan nodded and stepped forward to put an arm around her twin sister's shoulders to guide her into the mansion.

"I had a feeling that this would happen," Meghan said. "John Gilbert is a very persistent man, and I know that it's been hurting him to see you with Brady. Eventually, you're going to have to let Brady go and choose John. Brady will be hurt at first, but he'll move on."

Meredith sighed and leaned a little into her sister. "I know you're right, but what are the children going to think? They're going to be upset with me for keeping secrets from their dad, especially when Brady isn't even their father," she said and sniffed, wiping her eyes with a tissue that Meghan handed her.

"You've always had a good head on your shoulders, Merry," Meghan said. "You'll know what to do when the time is right."

Meredith nodded. "I know, but what if they hate me? Meghan, I love my kids, and I want to do right by them."

"Then sit them down and explain everything," Meghan told her.

Meredith nodded. "You're right. I should explain it to them. No doubt they're going to have questions."

Meghan nodded and hugged her sister gently. "You are welcome to come by anytime, okay?" she said with a smile, kissing her sister's forehead.

Meredith forced a smile as her sister kissed her forehead. "I love you, Meghan."

Meghan smiled as well. "I love you too, Merry."

Just then, the front door opened and Tyler entered, smiling at his wife and sister-in-law.

Meredith smiled at her brother-in-law. "Hello, Tyler."

"Hey, Merry," he replied. "It's been a while since we last saw each other. How have you been?"

"Oh, I'm fine." That was a lie, of course. She wasn't fine, but she wasn't about to let Tyler know that. Meredith turned to Meghan. "I should get home. I have to talk to the kids then go to the hospital."

Meghan nodded. "Okay. Remember, you're always welcome here. We're family and family always sticks together."

Meredith grinned and hugged her sister one more time before leaving the mansion. Tyler waited until she was gone to follow Meghan into the kitchen. "What was that all about?"

Meghan looked at her husband. "Meredith is conflicted. Although she's married to Brady, she has children with John Gilbert. She told that she doesn't like lying to Brady about everything, and at the same time, she doesn't want her children to be angry at her."

Tyler nods then watches as she flits around the kitchen to prepare breakfast. "You shouldn't have to do all the work, you know," he said as he approached her from behind, hugging her waist and smelling the strawberry scent of her hair.

Meghan moaned as she felt his arms around her waist. "Do you want to help me, love?"

Her husband groaned then tightened his hold, kissing along her cheek until she turned her head.

Meghan panted even more as her husband continued to caress her. She then turned in his arms and kissed him passionately and urgently, the heat between them rising quickly.

Tyler picked her up and placed her on the counter, separating their lips momentarily to sweep everything off of the surface of the cool metal island before climbing up next to her, claiming her lips with his again.

Meghan smiled into the kiss, nibbling on his bottom lip and savoring the passion between them. Tyler stroked his hand along her ribcage over the shirt she wore then slipped it under. They broke apart when the front door slammed against the wall and Tyler jumped down from the counter then helped Meghan down.

Meghan looked scared as Tyler helped her down off the counter. "What was that?"

Tyler shook his head. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out." He took her hand. "Come on."

Meghan gulped and squeezed Tyler's hand as they went to investigate.

They came into the living room and were startled by the sudden appearance of Tanya, who jumped and dropped the stack of papers she'd brought with her. "Dad, Meghan! You scared me," she said, putting a hand on her chest to stop her racing heart.

Tyler went over to his daughter and hugged her. "I'm sorry, sweetie. We didn't mean to scare you. We heard the front door slam and we didn't know what it was." He pulled back and kissed her forehead before looking down at the papers she dropped. "Let me help you with those. You shouldn't be carrying heavy things in your condition."

Tanya nodded and watched as her father knelt down and picked up the papers. "Thank you, Daddy. I'm sorry for coming by so early."

Meghan shook her head. "It's all right, Tanya, you know you're welcome here." Curiously, she added, "What brings you here? You and Colin didn't get into a fight, did you? I know that boy loves you to pieces and this pregnancy hasn't exactly been easy for him to accept."

"No, it hasn't, but my professor, my history professor, he asked me to do some research on my family's history," Tanya explained as she looked to her father.

Tyler nodded. "Really, is there any particular part of our history, or all of it?"

"The professor said all of it," Tanya replied with a soft smile.

Her father nodded then picked up the rest of the papers before gesturing her ahead of him to the living room.

Tyler grabbed some books from the shelf. "Here are some books about our family, mostly dating back to the 1800s."

Meghan pulled some down as well. "And here are some from the Fell family as well, sweetie," she told Tanya.

Tanya nodded as she took the books on the Fell family. "This is awesome. I'm sure to get an A on my report."

"I'm so proud of you, Tanya," Tyler said with a smile at her. Meghan smiled over at her husband then hugged him, her head tucked below his chin.

Tanya smiled at her father and stepmother. "I appreciate the help, you guys, not only with this, but with everything else." Her smile then faded. "And to answer Meghan's question about Colin and I having a fight, we kind of did."

Meghan turned to look up at Tyler, who nodded then kissed his wife's lips before leaving the room. Meghan went over and sat down next to her stepdaughter. "Tell me what happened," she said softly to Tanya.

Tanya sighed. "Well, the fight in question took place last night, just after we got back from dinner. Colin wasn't his usual loving, compassionate self, and I asked him what was wrong. I immediately regretted asking that because he slaps me and tells me that he was tired of pretending to love a child that wasn't even his. I tried to get him to understand that I only did what I did to help Carrie, and that I loved him and not Luke, I also said that although Carrie is in the same situation that I am that Liam is willing to accept her baby as his own and even asked her to marry him."

Meghan nodded. "And what did Colin say to that?"

"The thing I never expected him to say about his cousin," Tanya said. "He said, 'Liam is a lovesick idiot, just like his father.' Then, before I can say anything else, he tells me that he should've broken up with me when he had the chance and that it was over between us."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry," Meghan said sympathetically, opening her arms. Tanya fell into them immediately, feeling grateful that she had her stepmother to comfort her.

**That Same Moment**…

"You did WHAT?"

Maria was trying to wrap her mind around what her brother had done. Colin watched her confused facial expressions before saying, "I broke up with Tanya, Maria. I tried to do what you told me to, but I couldn't. I may have loved her, but I couldn't pretend that her betrayal didn't hurt me, when it sure as hell did."

Maria's expression went from confused to angry and she slapped her brother hard across the face. In fact, she slapped him so hard, his nose started to bleed. "Colin Zachary Mikaelson, I can't believe you would do this to her! Yes, Tanya slept with Luke, but she needs you! Hell, Liam…"

"Don't you dare compare me to Liam," Colin said, ignoring the blood coming out of his nose. "He's a lovesick idiot, like Uncle Nik!"

"How dare you say that about your own cousin, Colin!" Maria hissed before slapping him again then turning and walking out.

Colin growled as he watched his sister leave, rubbing his cheek. She had been right, he never should have called Liam a lovesick idiot, but he was angry and he wasn't in control of what came out of his mouth. Still, it wasn't nice, and Maria had every right to slap him for saying it. Another thing he shouldn't have done was breaking up with Tanya. She needed him and yet, he had thrown her out.

**Meanwhile**…

Ruby climbed from the car on shaky legs then guided her hand into her mother's before Sage was helping bring her daughter into a brick building in Italy. Sage and Finn had talked about it right after coming home from Japan and both of them agreed she needed to learn how to adapt with being blind. Every doctor that the couple had contacted had said 'no' to a surgery that could fix their eldest child/daughter's eyesight.

Sage looked at her daughter. She knew this was the right thing to do. If the doctors couldn't help, then it was best that Ruby learned to fend for herself. She and Finn would be there for support, of course, but for the most part, Ruby was on her own.

From the other side, Finn gave his wife a sympathetic smile. "We can do this," he mouthed to her.

Sage nodded and mouthed back, "I know."

Later, once they'd gotten Ruby all ready to go, Sage found herself clinging to her husband. "It's so hard to see her go through this, Finn!" she sobbed into his shoulder.

Finn held his wife close. "I know, Irish Rose, I feel the same way. But, Ruby is a strong woman. She'll get through this and anything else that life can throw at her."

**Author's Note:** Well, that wasn't my best effort. But I sincerely hoped you enjoyed seeing this new side to Sage & Finn. I know I thoroughly enjoy writing them!


	18. Chapter 18

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Meredith and John make love, Finn and Sage take Ruby to a blind school in Italy and Colin & Tanya both tell someone that it's over between them._**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Back in the States**…

Finn approached Elijah as his younger brother stood up to greet him. Finn had asked Elijah to distract him with something other than what was really on his mind. Elijah hugged his brother and it was quiet between them until Finn cleared his throat. "So, how's Eleanor?"

"She's doing better," Elijah said. "It's still hard sometimes, but she's healing. They were soul mates, the two of them, and she'll always love him and miss him."

Finn nodded then stepped back. "I feel that Sage and I have reached the point where the spark has died," he said sadly, turning away to pick up the glass of bourbon his brother must have ordered before he got there.

"But you are not positive?" Elijah questioned Finn as he picked up the second glass on the table.

Finn sighed. "I don't know."

Elijah nodded. "Do you love her?"

"Of course I do," Finn said. "Sage is the air I breathe, the love of my life." He sighed again. "I just…we're facing yet another challenge in our lives and it's taking its toll on both of us."

**Meanwhile**…

Sage approached the mansion and knocked gently on the front door. Katherine opened the door just seconds later, opening her arms to the tall redhead, who fell into them, sobbing quietly.

Katherine rubbed Sage's back consolingly. "What's wrong, Sage?"

Sage sobbed. "I think Finn and I might get a divorce! We lost our spark!"

The olive-skinned brunette guided Sage into the house and closed the door behind them. "You don't really believe that, Sage, do you? You and Finn have been married for, what, 30 years? I've seen the way you two are around each other, around Ruby, Bridget and Cooper, and our great-nephew. You're meant to be."

"Do you really think so, Katherine?" Sage asked as she dried her eyes with a tissue that her sister in law gave to her.

Katherine nodded. "I know so, Sage. You and Finn have been through worse things than this. You may not know this, but we all look up to you."

Sage gently wiped her eyes with the tissue. "I had no idea."

"We do. Elijah and myself, Klaus and Caroline, Rebekah and Stefan, Kol and Lexi and even Henrik and Francesca," Katherine said with a sympathetic smile.

Sage bit her lip. Maybe she and Finn could work this out after all. "You're right. We're a role model for all your marriages. Maybe Finn and I can still fix this."

**Later**…

Katherine sank onto the couch next to her sisters in law, Francesca and Lexi. "So, what is the plan going to be?" Lexi asked Katherine as she threw aside the magazine she'd been reading.

Katherine cleared her throat. "I was thinking that maybe we could arrange for Finn and Sage to have a romantic weekend together so that they rekindle their romance."

"That's awesome," Lexi said. "Maybe they could go to a bed and breakfast in the country. That's always romantic."

"I know the perfect one," Francesca said from her spot beside Lexi.

Lexi looked at Francesca. "Which one were you thinking?"

"The Birchwood Manor," Francesca said. "Henrik and I stayed there on our anniversary, and I think Finn and Sage will love it."

"Are we, like, going to arrange for them to have the same room?" Eleanor asked as she wandered in to where her daughters-in-law were. "I think it would have to be arranged that way, otherwise, they'll be suspicious…but not until after they're already there."

Katherine nodded at what Eleanor said. "We'll definitely arrange for them to have the same room, Eleanor. Only, we won't make the reservations under our names, it'll be under Finn's." She whipped out a card. "I even stole one of his credit cards so that it'll look like he paid for it."

Lexi smirked. "Kat, you are so devious!"

"I know, aren't I?" Katherine said. "I'm also very sneaky." She winked at the ladies at the end of her statement.

Francesca giggled then grabbed the credit card from Katherine's hand then ran out of the room to go use the computer Mikael had in his office. She put all the right information in while her stepmother-in-law and two sisters-in-law watched before giving a triumphant smile. "It's done. Now, all we need to do is arrange for the persuasion part," she said with a grin.

**A Few Days Later**…

"No! I cannot leave Cooper by himself and just…go away on a trip randomly!" Sage screeched at her sisters-in-law.

Katherine shook her head. "Sage, Cooper won't be here by himself. He'll be well taken care of by me and his great-aunts. I know that you're worried about him, but trust me, he couldn't be in better hands." She looked at Lexi and Francesca. "Ladies, back me up here, will you? Cooper's in good hands with us, isn't he?"

Lexi nodded. "Katherine is right, Sage. We'll take care of Cooper while you're gone."

"I agree with them," Francesca said. "We're responsible, mature ladies who love our great-nephew very much."

"Well, what about the studio? I cannot leave my responsibilities there," Sage tried to protest again.

Katherine sighed heavily. "Again, it's all taken care of. Lexi, Francesca and I will handle everything at the studio as well as looking after Cooper."

Sage was about to protest again when Lexi said, "Sage, it'll do you good to go away for a while."

"Alright, fine. When do I leave and where am I going?" Sage said with a loud sigh.

"You're leaving now, and you're going to the Birchwood Manor, where Henrik and I went for our anniversary a few years ago," Francesca said.

Sage nodded. "And how am I paying for this?"

Katherine smirked. "Don't worry about it. It's already paid for."

**In the Meantime**…

Finn was looking through some bills when he noticed a rather unexpected purchase on his credit card one.

Finn eyed the bill. "I don't remember paying for this."

"Well, you certainly did, brother," Henrik said, coming up behind his brother. "And it also looks like you're going on vacation."

"A vacation…I can't go on a vacation!" Finn said. "Where the bloody hell am I going on this vacation?"

"Birchwood Manor, the place Francesca and I spent our anniversary a few years ago."

"This isn't some kind of trick, is it, Henrik? I cannot go. I have to look after the clinic," Finn protested.

Henrik smiled. "Oh, it's not a trick. It's perfectly legit. And as far as looking after the clinic is concerned, Kol, Elijah and I have it covered."

Finn sighed. "Alright, I'm going to need directions to this place you're talking about."

Henrik smiled and handed his brother a brochure. "The directions are on here. They're easy to follow."

Finn took the brochure from Henrik and looked at it. "And you're certain that this is a good place?"

"It's better than that, it's amazing," Henrik said. "It's so amazing; in fact, Francesca was raving about it for weeks after we got back."

Meanwhile, Sage was on the road, the top down in her vintage 1978 Ford Mustang and the wind blowing through her red hair, streaked with gray.

When Sage finally arrived at the Birchwood Manor, she was surprised to see Finn's car in the parking lot. How did he find out about this place? She couldn't have told him, and neither did any of the other women. Deciding it wasn't important, she went inside to check in.

She removed her sunglasses once she was inside and smiled at the woman behind the counter. "Hello, I'm here to check in," she told her as she put her sunglasses away into her purse at her elbow.

The woman behind the counter returned her smile and said, "Ah, yes, Mrs. Mikaelson. You're in Room 214."

Sage nodded and when she went to walk away, she ran into Finn, who had just approached the reception desk. "Finn, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied. "I saw that I paid for a reservation at the Birchwood Manor and then, Henrik talked me into coming here."

"I was talked into coming here by Katherine, Lexi and Francesca," Sage said. "They said they would look after Cooper and cover for me at the studio."

Finn began to shake his head. "I don't believe this. I don't bloody believe this! We've been set up by my brothers!"

"No. They wouldn't dare try and pull a stunt like this, would they?"

Finn nodded. "You don't know my brothers, Sage. They're capable of just about anything, including this."

Sage sighed. "Well, they obviously must care about us if they went to the trouble of arranging this. Don't you think that maybe we can try to…you know, give this place a chance? I mean, if Henrik and Francesca liked it here, maybe we'll like it too."

Finn nodded again, smiling over at her. "What room are you staying in?"

"Room…214," she replied.

"There has to be a mistake. _I'm_ staying in 214," Finn said before turning to the woman at the counter.

Sage gently grabbed his arm. "Finn, I think I know why we're in the same room. Katherine and the girls did this."

Finn mused on that and nodded. "I think you're right. Katerina is quite clever, and I think she was the one who charged the reservations on my credit card." He sighed. "Elijah married himself a sneaky woman, he did." Curiously, he added, "Why do you think they did this?"

"It's probably because we told them our situation."

Her husband nodded then smiled. "I know why they put us in that room. It's the anniversary of when we first met. Do you remember?"

Sage smiled. "I do. You were so sexy that night, I couldn't resist you."

"Is that so?" Finn said. "Well, you were absolutely beautiful that night, Irish Rose." He kissed her softly. "And you still are."

His eyes lowered back to her lips before he was tugging her to him and claiming her lips in a desperate, hungry kiss. Sage's arms wrapped around his neck and she stepped backward toward the stairs, as they stumbled up the flight of them until they reached the second landing and went up more stairs.

It wasn't long until they arrived at the room and Finn used the key to get in. Once they got in, he pushed Sage against the door. "I love you, Sage."

"I love you more, Finn," she said then framed his face between cool fingers and let her arms drift up until they were around his neck. He took the hint and claimed her lips again, pressing himself against her and pushing her further against the door, making it rattle a little.

After a few minutes, Finn then picked her up bridal style and carried her over to her bed, following her onto the cool sheets.

Sage's hands drifted to his shirt's buttons and she began to all but rip them free, tilting her head back to give him better access to her neck and letting out a strangled cry as he moved further down.

Finn smiled against her neck and felt the vibrations of her screams. "That's it, Irish Rose. Let it out, let me know you're enjoying this."

"Oh, I'm enjoying this alright," she said with a smirk as she pushed on his chest until she was over him, her arms crossing down by her sides and lifting the blouse she wore until she was nearly naked from the waist up, save for her bra.

Finn smiled. "You're as beautiful as ever."

Sage grinned. "And you're still as sexy as ever," she replied as she arched her back when he sat up to peel his shirt away then used eager hands to release the hooks of her bra and all but pushing it away then suckled a breast into his mouth.

Sage felt his mouth on her breast and moaned before letting out yet another scream. Finn pulled away before shifting her onto her back, lowering his head to press open-mouthed kisses along the skin of her stomach until he reached the waist of her dark wash denim jeans, where he used his hands to caress the soft skin underneath before coming back to the front and unfastening the button. He also lowered the zipper then sat up and teased her more as the tip of his finger along the waistband of her silk panties.

Sage felt his finger along the waistband of her panties and ran her hands down to his pants, loosening the belt and then undoing the button, running her finger along the waistband of his boxers.

Finn's head fell back when he felt her returning the favor and he held back a groan, biting down on his lip before he lifted her hips then removed her panties before standing up and removing the rest of his clothing.

Sage licked her lips. "My handsome British Prince."

"My beautiful Irish Rose," Finn returned as he moved up the length of her body, lips licking a trail up her slender thighs, placing open-mouthed kisses along them and going further up.

Sage felt his lips on her and trembled slightly. "Finn, please don't…"

"Don't what, Sage?"

"Don't tease me."

"Oh, love, I'm just getting started," he said with a smirk but obliged her anyway, moving up and briefly kissing her breasts before claiming her mouth again.

Sage moaned against his lips and returned his kiss, wrapping her legs around his waist. Finn grasped one of her thighs then thrust into her, moving slowly at first then growling when he felt her heel lift to push against his rear end and he began thrusting harder, faster.

Sage gyrates her hips in time with his thrusts, keeping in sync with his movements, and Finn rolls them over until she's on top. "I love you, Sage," he whispers.

**Hours Later**…

Finn eases Sage out of his light embrace then gets dressed and leaves their shared room to head downstairs and outside.

Sage woke up and saw that Finn's side of the bed was empty. "Finn, where are you?"

It then occurred to her that she knew where he was, so she got dressed and hurried out of their room. She stepped outside and saw him on the porch. "Hey, what are you doing out here?"

Finn turned to her and smiled. "I was here, hoping that you'd find me."

She smiled back and stepped up to him, her arms embracing his neck. "I love you, so, so much, Finnegan Cooper Mikaelson," she whispered to him.

"Not as much as I love you, Sage Victoria O'Reilly Mikaelson," he whispered back.

Sage smiled and kissed him. "I'm glad that we're here together. This was just what we needed." She sighed. "I never want to be without you, Finn."

"I never want to be without you either," Finn said. "I love you more than anything, Sage, you know that. If it seemed like I wasn't paying attention to you, I apologize."

"Finn, it's all right, I've already forgiven you," Sage said. "If there's anything being married to you for thirty years has taught me, it's that there's nothing we can't accomplish together."

He nodded then kissed her softly on the lips. "What do you say to this: when we leave here after a few days, we go visit Bridget?" he suggested as they stood with her back to his front and his hands gripping the porch railing on either side of her.

Sage smiled. "That's a great idea. I love it."

**Author's Note:** The next chapter will see the appearance of Bridget Mikaelson! I hope you enjoyed getting to see this one, because it was a great journey for the fans of Sage & Finn!


	19. Chapter 19

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Finn and Sage celebrate the anniversary of when they first met._**

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Salvatore Summer Estate, Tuscany, Italy**…

Maria stepped out of the cab when she arrived at the Salvatore summer estate. She had left the States after her fight with Colin, having told her parents she needed to clear her head.

The front door to the estate opened and Alexis came running out. "Ria, I've missed you!" She launched herself at Maria, who returned the eager hug.

Maria hugged her cousin. "I missed you too, Lex." She then heard music. "What's going on in there?"

Alexis smiled. "We're having a party for Aunt Care and Uncle Nik. Their anniversary is today."

"Is that tonight?" Maria asked as she got her suitcases from the taxi's trunk and carried them into the house behind her cousin.

Maria entered the house and saw that it was definitely decorated for a party.

Caroline was supervising where the decorations when Alexis walked back in with Maria.

Caroline caught sight of Maria and went over to her, hugging her. "Oh my God, Maria, I can't believe you're here! This is the best present ever!"

"What's the best present ever?" Klaus asked as he came in from the office.

Caroline smiled at her husband as she stepped back from her niece. "Nik, Maria is here."

Maria smiled at her uncle. "Hi, Uncle Nik, happy anniversary," she said. "I'm sorry that I'm a little underdressed for the occasion. Actually, I didn't know about it until Alexis told me."

Klaus nodded. "It doesn't matter, sweetheart. All that matters is that you're here." He hugged her. "It's good to see you." He then stepped back. "What brings you here? What's going on at home?"

Caroline was curious as well. "Yes, Maria, is everything okay at home?"

Maria shook her head. "Colin is a wreck. He's turned into this guy that none of us like, and Tanya, I'm sure, is feeling alone," she replied softly.

Klaus crossed his arms. "What has he done?"

"He broke up with Tanya," Maria said. "What's worse, he even said something mean about Liam."

"What did Colin say about my son?" Caroline demanded, turning into protective mother mode.

Maria saw the fire in her aunt's eyes and said, "He called him a lovesick idiot."

Upon hearing that, Caroline growled, "That rude little brat! My son is not a lovesick idiot! In fact, Liam is more of a gentleman than Colin is right now!"

Klaus saw how angry his wife was getting and took her firmly in his arms. "Now, now, love, let's not make a scene."

"Not make a scene?" Caroline said. "Nik, our son was just indirectly insulted by our nephew and you expect me to be calm about it?" She pulled out of his grip. "I'm calling Katherine right now and telling her about this."

Her husband nodded and gently grabbed her arms. "I agree, but not tonight. I'm not saying you should forget it entirely, but wait until tomorrow to call Katerina and Elijah."

Caroline sighs but calms down. "Okay. I'll call them tomorrow," she whispers and Klaus pulls her to him, his head resting on top of hers as he rubbed her back soothingly.

Liam came in just then, Carrie following behind him. When he saw Maria, a smile appeared on his face. "Maria, love, I was just thinking about you."

"You were? Well, it's a good thing I'm here then," she replied. "It'll be great to get away for a while."

Carrie nodded. "How are things with you and Gavin?"

"We're still together," Maria said. "I called him before I left and I told him I was heading to Italy because I was under some stress and needed to get away. He told me he understood and that he'd be waiting for me when I got back." She smiled. "I really don't know what I did to deserve him."

"Because he loves you, and he is your best friend?" Carrie asked with a grin.

"Yes, he is," Maria said. "That boy has been in love with me since third grade."

"He sure has," Liam said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he proposes to you before Thanksgiving." Curiously, he added, "So, is there any reason you're here by yourself?"

Maria sighed, her smile fading. "Colin and I had a fight. He's become a jerk. He broke up with Tanya and he called you a lovesick idiot."

"He said what?" Carrie said. "Why would he say that about his own cousin?"

Liam sneered. "If anyone is an idiot, it's Colin. Tanya didn't deserve to have her heart broken."

"No, she didn't, which is why I invited her here. I know she isn't family, but I also know that she needs us right now," Maria told her cousins.

Liam nodded. "Yes, she definitely needs support. If Colin refuses to give it to her, then we certainly will."

Outside, Tanya stepped forth from the limo that had brought her to the Salvatore summer estate. Having Tatiana Petrova as a mother sure had its perks, but sometimes it didn't.

Liam came out to meet Tanya, along with Christian and Sebastian, who assisted her with her luggage. Among the bags, Liam noticed two huge books. "What's with these huge books, love?"

Tanya smiled. "It's for school. I'm doing a report on my family, so my dad and Meghan gave me books on the Lockwood and Fell families."

Liam nodded. "I did the exact same thing when I was in high school. It was my freshman year and I had been out sick most of the time, first with the flu, and then with bronchitis and sinus infections. I got notes from classmates and stayed after class and to make up tests I missed. My history teacher then suggested that for extra credit, I do a research project on my family. So, with my parents' help, I got information on both the Mikaelson and Forbes families."

"How did you do?"

Liam smiled. "Dear girl, I got an A+ and boosted up my grade point average."

Tanya smiled again. "That's great, Liam!" She turns her smile to Klaus and Caroline. "I hope that you don't mind that I'm invading on your anniversary party."

Caroline smiled at her. "You're not invading at all." She looked at her husband. "Isn't that right, Nik?"

"No, the more the merrier," he replied. "In fact, it might help take her mind off of Colin and his stupidity."

Tanya chose to ignore the mention of Colin, instead bringing her hand to her the small mound of her belly. "It's just you and me, baby girl," she whispered.

Carrie took notice of Tanya after they walked back into the house, smiling at her as she said, "Tanya, what a surprise! I've missed you so much!"

Tanya hugged her friend. "I missed you too, Carrie."

"How are you doing, with everything, I mean?" Carrie asked, her hands waving around her.

Tanya smiled. "I'm doing well, all things considered." She cleared her throat. "How are you doing?"

"I've been well," Carrie said. "Oh, and I'm not sure you know, but Aubrey passed away a while ago."

Tanya nodded. "Riley called and told me all about it. Thank god he has Penny for support."

"I think we're all grateful to have a person in our lives. So! That means we'll find someone for you. An Italian guy too," Carrie says excitedly.

Tanya's smile faded. "Carrie, please, you don't have to do this. I just got my heart broken. I'm a little gun-shy right now."

"I know, but you're my friend and I want to help you," she replied. "Don't you trust me?"

"I do, but…"

"No buts, Tanya," Carrie said. "This will be good for you."

**Later that Evening**…

Tanya was relaxing with a glass of water when a tan-skinned man with dark hair approached her and held out his hand. "Oh, no, I don't really feel like dancing," she said as she shook her head no.

The man smiled. "One dance won't hurt you, signora."

Tanya sighs and puts aside her glass of water then takes his hand and allows him to guide her to her feet. She places one hand in his then puts the other onto his broad shoulder.

The man then said, "My name is Antonio. What's yours?"

Tanya could have lied straight through her teeth but she refrained from it. "My name is Tanya Petrova-Lockwood. My mother is Tatiana Petrova," she replied.

Antonio nodded. "Ah, yes, I remember hearing that your mother was in Rome twenty years ago."

"She was," Tanya nodded. "She was going to stop the wedding of the parents of one of my best friends."

Carrie looked over Liam's shoulder as they danced, seeing what was happening between Tanya and Antonio. She may not have heard what was being said, but she did hear Tanya's mother's name being mentioned. Liam gave her a curious look. "What's wrong, love? Why do you keep looking over there?"

"I heard Tanya mention her mother's name," she replied. "I don't know the extent of their conversation, but I get a weird feeling from it."

"Want to cut in?" Liam suggested and Carrie nodded before they danced over to where Tanya and Antonio where. They stopped dancing long enough for Liam to snag Tanya's hand, pulling her away from Antonio, who protested when she was taken away. Carrie stepped in to dance with him instead, but he pushed her away and left through the front door.

Liam noticed what Antonio had done to Carrie and immediately got concerned about her. He looked at Tanya and said, "Tanya, love, why don't you go talk to your date? I'm going to see if Carrie is all right."

Tanya nodded and went after Antonio. Once she was gone, Liam went over to Carrie. "Carrie, what happened? Are you hurt?"

Carrie shook her head. "No, I'm okay. I just…didn't expect him to push me away like that. All I was trying to do was dance with him. Seriously, what kind of guy pushes a girl away when she's trying to dance with him?"

Outside, Tanya found Antonio and said, "Why did you push Carrie like that, Antonio? All she was trying to do was dance with you. You didn't have to treat her like that."

"I should not be here right now, signora," Antonio said before kissing her forehead and leaving her standing there alone.

Tanya returned to the party and Carrie saw the sad look on her face. "I'm so sorry, Tanya."

Tanya shook her head. "It's not your fault, Carrie." Before her friend could speak again, she added, "I'm going to go to bed. Good night."

Liam and Carrie watched as she walked away, obviously concerned about what had gone on.

Upstairs, Tanya was just getting into her pajama Capri set when she noticed another suitcase next to hers. She glanced over to see that the bathroom door was slightly ajar.

Tanya scowled toward the door and slowly approached it. "Hello? Is anyone in there?"

No sooner did she finish that than the door opened and into the room stepped the last person she ever expected to see. "Colin? What are you doing here?"

"I know that you don't want to see me right now because of how I treated you and I'll leave if you want," he replied. "But, I want to talk to you."

"Oh, now you want to talk?" Tanya said. "And what makes you think that I'll listen to what you have to say? You made it perfectly clear that you don't want to be with me, so why bother?" She scowled. "I told Caroline what you said about Liam and she went ballistic. In fact, she's going to call your parents tomorrow and tell them."

Colin got onto his knees. "Please, Tanya Louise Petrova-Lockwood, take me back?" he pleaded with her.

Tanya saw him on his knees and raised an eyebrow. "If I take you back, are you going to treat me like the lady that I am? And are you going to accept my baby, even though she's not really yours?"

Colin nodded. "Yes." He reached into his pocket. "In fact, I'll do one better." He took Tanya's hand in his free hand. "Tanya, I come before you today as a man, nothing more and nothing less, to ask you this very important question." He took a box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a diamond ring. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I promise to make you the happiest woman in the world and officially make the baby a Mikaelson."

By the time he was finished speaking, Tanya had tackled him to the floor, smothering his face with kisses before she said, "Yes, yes, yes! A million times yes, I'd love to be your wife, Colin Zachary Mikaelson."

Colin smiled and put the ring on her finger before kissing her passionately. "I love you so much, Tanya."

"Not as much as I love you," she whispered against his lips, smiling like a canary.

Colin smiled. "Oh, I think I love you more."

The next morning, Tanya woke up with a big smile on her face as she glanced at her engagement ring. She heard soft voices coming from the hall and went to investigate, finding that it was Caroline and Klaus. "Hey," she said in a soft voice. "What's going on?"

Caroline smiled at Tanya. "Oh, we're just talking about the baby." She then noticed the ring on her finger. "Tanya, where did you get that ring?"

"From me," Colin's voice said from behind Tanya.

Klaus looked at Caroline and then at his nephew. "You gave her that ring after the way you treated her?"

"I had a lot of time to think about that, Uncle Nik," Colin said. "I realized that what I did was wrong, so I came here to ask Tanya for her forgiveness, as well as her hand in marriage."

The door to Carrie's room opened from behind Klaus and he moved to allow room for his future daughter in law to step out.

Carrie gave Colin a stern look. "Just because Tanya forgave you, that doesn't mean I have. You hurt her, Colin, and I don't take kindly to that."

She was about to step forward and attack him with her fists but Klaus stepped into her path. "Carrie, love, I don't think that is the best idea right now, especially not in your condition," he said softly.

Carrie scowled at him. "But, he has to pay for hurting Tanya."

Klaus shook his head. "I realize you want to help her, but at the same time, I don't want you getting hurt. Liam wouldn't forgive me if something were to happen to you."

Liam was then seen coming toward them and when he saw Colin, he wasn't too thrilled. "What are you doing here, Colin?"

"We're getting married, Liam," Tanya replied as she put her arms around Colin's waist from behind.

Liam scowled. "After what he did to you, not to mention what he said about me, you agreed to marry him?"

Tanya was about to reply, but Colin spoke for her. "I didn't mean to say what I said about you, Liam. I was angry and not in control of what I was saying."

Klaus saw that Liam was clenching his fists and said to Caroline, "Caroline, love, could you take Carrie, Liam and Tanya downstairs? I want to have a word with Colin alone."

Caroline nodded. "Okay." She turned to the trio in question. "Come on, guys, let's go downstairs and have some breakfast."

They all followed the older blonde downstairs, where Tanya sat with Carrie at the island beside the stove and Liam went out to the back porch.

Damon and Elena walked into the kitchen at that moment, still wearing their clothes from the party. Caroline scowled at them. "Where did you two go off to last night?"

Damon smirked as he put his arm around Elena's shoulder. "We went outside to dance under the stars and then we sat out on the porch. Before we knew it, we ended up falling asleep in each other's arms." He noticed his eldest daughter and Tanya. "What happened?"

Caroline shook her head. "Oh, there was a bit of drama this morning. Scratch that, there was a lot of drama."

"What kind of drama?" Elena asked.

Caroline looked at the girls. "Well, it had to do with Colin. Apparently, he and Tanya are engaged now. Carrie and Liam aren't exactly thrilled about it."

"Who is Tanya again?" a voice asked from behind Damon and Elena and everyone turned to see a woman with dark red hair.

"Bridget Mikaelson, what on earth are you doing here?" Caroline squealed as she moved around to hug her tall niece.

Bridget hugged her aunt. "Actually, I was going to visit my sister. Mother and Father put her in a special school for the blind. But, I thought I'd drop by to see you."

"When did Finn and Sage decide this?" Caroline asked, having only heard this news for the first time.

Bridget sighed. "Well, every doctor they contacted said that they couldn't do the surgery to repair Ruby's eyes, so they decided that it was time she learned to adapt to being blind, so that led to them putting her in a special school. Mother was devastated, of course, but if Ruby is fated to be blind, what other alternative is there?"

**Author's Note:** I hoped you enjoyed seeing Bridget, because there will most likely be more of her in the next chapter. ENJOY!


	20. Chapter 20

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Bridget, Finn and Sage's middle child, arrives at the Salvatore summer estate to see her aunt and uncle. Colin proposes to Tanya._**

**Chapter Twenty**

**Tuscany, Italy – After Breakfast**…

Bridget left the house where she had a short reunion, and breakfast, with one of her favorite sets of relatives.

**Upstairs – That Same Moment**…

Klaus gave Colin a stern look. "Let me ask you something, Colin. Do you really love Tanya or are you going to leave her broken-hearted?"

"I really love Tanya, Uncle Nik," he replied. "I meant every word of my proposal. I was a fool to break things off with her. I know Liam and Carrie aren't exactly thrilled about it, but I have every intention of making her my wife."

"Well, then," Klaus said, a smirk crossing onto his lips. "We should find someone to marry you two."

Colin nodded. "What about Liam and Carrie?"

"Never mind them. I'll handle them," his uncle replied. "You just focus on Tanya and your impending nuptials."

**Two Days Later**…

Tanya glanced toward the chapel doors a final time. "I thought he'd be here by now," she said, referring to her dad.

Maria saw her looking toward the doors. "He'll be here, Tanya. There's no way that he'd miss his daughter's wedding. Meghan would make sure of it."

"I hope you're right," she replied. "He knows how important this is to me."

"And he does know," a voice said from behind her. Tanya turned to smile broadly at her father when he appeared, tears leaking at the corners of her eyes as she ran to hug him tightly.

"Oh, Daddy," she said. "I'm so glad you're here."

Tyler smiled and kissed her forehead after pulling back, smiling again as he wiped away her tears. "I'd do anything for my little girl, my little princess," he said softly.

Tanya nodded. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, sweetheart," Tyler said. "I'm so proud of you." He kissed her forehead again. "Come one, let's get you married."

"Okay, Daddy," she said with another sniffle as she took his arm and he began walking her up the aisle toward Colin, Klaus and Elijah, who had also come to see his eldest son exchange vows with the love of his life.

From their place in the pews, Carrie and Liam held hands, watching as Tyler walked Tanya up the aisle. They still weren't thrilled about this wedding, but Klaus told them that they should try to be supportive, even if they didn't completely agree with it.

**After the Wedding**…

Elijah and Katherine approached Tyler and Meghan, and Tatiana standing nearby. "We're so honored that you allowed us to have the wedding here, Mayor Lockwood," the Brit said.

"Ah, it's Senator Lockwood now," Tyler said with a smirk.

Katherine blinked. "Senator Lockwood? Does this mean that you'll be running for President eventually?"

"You never know," Tyler said with a mysterious smile.

Tatia smiled. "Yes, Tyler has a lot of political ambition. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a Lockwood in the White House."

Meghan turns and glares at the other woman. "We'll see. I'd have to transfer the practice to Washington, D.C., or somewhere close to it," she told her stepdaughter's new mother-in-law and father-in-law.

Elijah nodded. "Still, it seems like an obtainable goal." He also glared at Tatia. "I suppose you had those same ambitions, Tatiana?"

Tatia smiled. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

She saunters away to talk to her daughter and Meghan turns to Tyler. "I don't understand how you two ever…" She gives an almost violent shudder before turning and heading out of the chapel.

Tyler excused himself and hurried after his wife. "Meghan, wait!"

Tanya glared at her mother in the meantime. "I don't know what has gotten into you, Mom. You're always being rude to Meghan, and to Dad," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I loved your father, Tanya," Tatia said. "I thought we were going to be together forever." She sighed. "He came into my life when I needed someone the most. After losing Nik to his little blonde tramp, I just…I didn't know where to turn. You could say that your father and I saved each other from misery. When we got married and had you, I thought I was finally getting my happily ever after." Her face softened a bit. "I wish I had it like what you're getting with Colin." She sneered. "Then, Meghan came and screwed everything up."

"Meghan loves Dad, Mom. Probably a little more than you ever did," Tanya said as she glanced over at Colin when he came over. "Please, Mom, for me, back off? You are not in control of Dad any more."

"I can't promise that, Tanya," Tatia said. "Your father hurt me by choosing Meghan over me, just like Nik hurt me by choosing Caroline over me."

"I chose Caroline for good reason, Tatiana."

Tatia turned and saw Klaus approaching. "How much of our conversation did you hear, Nik?"

"Enough to know that you'll never change," Klaus said. "And as I said earlier, I chose Caroline because she loved me for me, and not for my body or my money, like you did. Now, for your daughter's sake, back off. Tyler is with a woman who truly loves him. The sooner you realize that, the better."

Tatia fumed and went to slap him, but Klaus caught her wrist and twisted it behind her back, whispering harshly into her ear, "That little stunt didn't work when you tried it twenty years ago, so what made you think it would work now?"

Tatia grabbed her arm back then stomped out of the chapel.

Klaus watched his ex walk away and sighed, shaking his head. When was Tatia going to learn to back off? He was still watching when Caroline came up to him, taking his hand.  
"You did well, Nik."

"I just wish Tatia would let things go."

"Knowing my mother, she'll fight tooth and nail until she gets what she wants…again," Tanya said before she turned to Colin. "Are you ready to go on our honeymoon, Colin?"

Colin nodded and kissed her. "I'm ready whenever you are, love."

"I'm ready now. Too much drama going on and I don't want my stress level to go up," Tanya replied.

Colin nodded. "All right, we'll go now."

Tanya was about to reply when Carrie came up to them, followed by Liam. After a few minutes, she hugged her friend and said, "Congratulations, Tanya. I'm sorry if we didn't react positively."

Liam nodded. "Yeah, we were rather childish. Do you think you two can find it in your hearts to forgive us?"

Colin smiled and took his cousin's hand firmly in his own, shaking it before hugging him. "We already have, cousin."

Tanya and Carrie hugged as well then pulled back to smile at each other. "Have fun on your honeymoon," Carrie said as she moved back to Liam's side, clasping his hand firmly with hers.

Tanya nodded. "We will. We'll even send pictures."

Liam smiled. "We'd like that very much."

With that, Tanya and Colin went toward the limo that would take them to the airport.

Outside, Tyler was still trying to calm Meghan down. "I HATE HER. WHY IS SHE ALWAYS TRYING TO INSINUATE HER WAY BACK INTO YOUR LIFE?"

Tyler sighed. "I don't know, Meghan. Tatia is insecure and that's why she's so possessive. I did love her at one point, but it wasn't the kind of love I have for you."

Meghan nodded then pulled him to her. "Promise me that she won't come between us…EVER?" she asked softly.

Tyler nodded. "I promise you, Meghan, Tatia will never come between us. I love you and _only_ you."

His wife nodded again then kissed him softly. "Let's go back to our hotel. I am suddenly in dire need to have you," she said with a smirk.

Tyler smiled. "That's good, because I'm in dire need to have you too."

**Later**…

By the time the couple crossed the threshold of their hotel suite, Tyler had lost his shirt and he had lowered the zipper at the back of the teal dress she wore for the wedding.

Meghan then pushed Tyler onto the bed and followed after him onto the sheets, attacking his lips savagely as she let her hands roam all over his body, trembling at the feel of his bare chest against her fingers.

Tyler groaned low at the feel of her fingers on his dark-skinned chest then sat up and pressed open-mouthed kisses along her throat and shoulder.

Meghan let out a moan as she felt Tyler kissing her neck and shoulder, as well as his hands fully removing her dress and heard it falling to the floor.

"Tyler, please…" she gritted out as his mouth continued to brush over the skin of her upper body.

Tyler smiled against her skin. "Please what, baby?"

"Don't tease me," she replied. "Just…take me."

"As you wish," her husband said before lifting her up and lowering her back onto the bed. His hands traveled up her legs then stopped at her waist to begin lowering her silk panties over her legs and deposited them onto the floor.

Meghan trembled under his touch and, against her will, let out a scream of pleasure. This caused Tyler to do the same as he moved up her body, fighting back a groan but sitting back, sitting her up and bringing her hands to the waist of his pants.

Meghan moved her hands to his belt, loosening it before going to the button and zipper, undoing them before playing with the waistband of his boxers.

"Meghan, baby," Tyler said from between gritted teeth.

Meghan licked her lips at his response and pulled down his boxers, along with his pants. She then took his hands and helped him take off her bra, which she tossed to the floor. Once they were completely naked, Tyler rolled over so that he was on top, grabbed her hips, and then glided into her, thrusting hard and fast. Meghan moved her hips in time with his thrusts, panting and then letting out a scream so loud, she was afraid her vocal chords would shatter.

**2 Hours Later**…

"I think I'm so lucky to find an irresistible man like you," Meghan said as she sat looking down at her husband.

Tyler smiled at her. "I think it's the other way around. I think I'm lucky to find an irresistible woman like you."

Meghan kissed him. "Oh, and I have some news that I think you'll love. I went to the doctor the other day because I wasn't feeling very well and…well, let's just say that you'll be holding someone other than me in your arms pretty soon."

Tyler's eyes went wide. "We're going to have a baby?"

"Yes, we are," Meghan said. "I was going to tell you earlier, but I didn't want to upstage Tanya because this was her day."

Tyler smiled and sat up to kiss her again. "I'm going to be a father again!" he said excitedly.

Meghan returned his kiss and placed his hand on her belly. "Yes, you are. There's no one I would rather have as my baby's father than you, Tyler Mason Lockwood."

Tyler leaned down to kiss her belly. "I love you so much, Meghan Rita Fell-Lockwood. I also love our baby."

"That's good, because we love you too, Daddy," she said before pushing him back onto the bed and straddling his hips.

Tyler smiled at Meghan. "My beautiful, pregnant wife," he said.

**In Paris**…

Tanya giggled as Colin pulled her close and kissed her cheek while they posed for the picture he soon took of them in front of the Eiffel Tower.

After the picture was taken, Colin smiled at his new wife. "Are you having a good time, love?"

"Oh, I'm having the best time," she replied. "And I have you to thank for it."

Colin grinned then pulled her in for a kiss. "I love you so, so much, Tanya Lockwood-Mikaelson," he said softly.

Tanya smiled against his lips and returned his kiss. "I love you too, Colin Mikaelson."

"I thought of a perfect name for our baby, whether it be a girl or a boy," he told her as they began walking after their kiss.

"Oh, really, and what name would that be?" Tanya said.

"Michael or Michaela," Colin replied. "I want to name him or her after Grandfather."

"Michaela is a beautiful name for a girl," Tanya said. "And it's a very fitting tribute to your grandfather."

"Michaela it is then," Colin said. "Wait, did you say Michaela? Are we having a baby girl?"

Tanya nodded. "Yes, we are."

Colin gave a yell of triumph, earning them a few looks as he picked Tanya up bridal style and whirled her around.

Tanya laughed as Colin twirled her around in his arms. When he stopped, she kissed him passionately.

"I love you!" they said in unison after ending the kiss.

**Meanwhile**…

Andrea walked ahead of Dante as they walked up to her grandparents' chateau in France.

Dante smiled as he got a look at the mansion. "Wow, this is nice."

"Isn't it, though?" Andrea said. "It's just perfect, especially for us."

"Are you sure that we can afford it, though?" Dante said as he kissed her softly.

Andrea smiled and returned his kiss. "Dante, what kind of a silly question is that? Of course we can afford it. After all, the Salvatore family is wealthy, being one of the Founding families of Mystic Falls."

"I know that, my dear Andrea, but I do also make a lousy pay as a photographer," he reminded her as they stood with his arms wrapped around her very pregnant stomach.

Andrea smiled. "That's because you don't have enough clients that appreciate the work that you do. I know I appreciate it."

Dante grinned then swept her into his arms and carried her toward the stairs. "How long do you think your grandparents will be out?"

Andrea giggled. "I think they'll be out long enough for us to have a little fun."

"Well then," Dante said. "Let's not waste any time."

Once they got to the top of the stairs, Andrea made a face that looked to be filled with pain. "Dante, I think you should go find someone or call my grandma. My water just broke," she told him softly.

Dante's eyes went wide. "You mean you're having the baby now? But, I thought we had time yet."

"Tell that to the baby," Andrea said. "Now, if you would please, Dante…put me down and get help!"

Dante nodded and, finding a comfortable room, gently laid Andrea down on the bed and took out his cell phone, frantically searching his contacts until he came across Andrea's grandmother's number. He clicked on it, and after several rings, he heard Theresa's voice on the other end. "Hello?"

"Theresa, this is Dante," he replied. "We're at the chateau. Andrea's water broke and we need you to come right away."

On the other end, Theresa gave her husband a panicked gaze and he nodded, turning her toward home after paying for their market purchases, carrying them as she continued to instruct their granddaughter's fiancé.

Dante tried to remain as calm as he could, especially since he didn't want to raise Andrea's stress levels. This was a stressful enough situation as it was, and he didn't want to make it worse.

On the bed, Andrea began to practice her breathing, timing each wave of contractions that came with her cell phone.

Dante smiled at Andrea as she practiced her breathing. He couldn't be prouder of her than he was right now.

**Several Hours Later**…

"You are doing wonderfully, Andrea, just keep breathing. In, out, in, out," Theresa coached her granddaughter.

Andrea nodded and kept breathing, feeling the sweat as it cascaded down her face. She felt another wave of pain hit her and she leaned forward to push. "Ugh, I just want it out of me!"

Theresa nodded. "I know, dear, and you'll be meeting your baby very shortly. Just breathe and push for me, okay?"

Andrea nodded and sat back against the mound of pillows, practicing more on her breathing.

Theresa looked down and saw the baby's head crowning. "It's crowning."

Andrea leaned forward again to push once more, softly screaming in pain before she heard the first cries of her baby. "It's a girl!" Theresa said as she began cleaning off the baby.

Andrea smiled. "She's beautiful." Another wave of pain hit her and she leaned forward to push for the second time.

Theresa saw the second baby's head crowning. "You're doing great, Andrea. You'll have this one out in no time."

**After the Twins' Birth**…

Dante comes into the room, smiling at his fiancé as she rested in the bed with her grandmother holding one baby, Andrea holding the other as it fed from her breastbone.

Dante smiled as the baby was placed in his arms. "They're beautiful, Andrea."

"Danielle Aubrey and Matilda Kathleen Salvatore," Andrea told him, pointing to which baby was which.

Dante smiled. "I like those names. They definitely fit them."

"I thought Aubrey would like us to at least name one of our babies after her. She was a great cousin, and she is going to be missed."

Dante nodded. "Yes, Aubrey was a great person. I miss her already."

Andrea nods as they switch babies, smiling as Mattie latches onto her breast quickly. "She was always the glue that held our group together," she says softly.

**Author's Note:** A pretty long chapter, but it ended on a good note! We hope you come back for more soon!


	21. Chapter 21

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Colin and Tanya get married and Andrea and Dante have twins._**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Tuscany, Italy – Next Day**…

Liam watched Carrie as she slept next to him, smiling at her as he gently stroked her cheek and softly kissed her lips. "What is it about your family that makes it okay to watch someone while they're sleeping?" she murmured against his lips and Liam jumped back in fright to see that her eyes were open.

Liam calmed himself down before saying, "I'm sorry, love. I couldn't help myself. You're just so beautiful that I like to watch you sleep."

"Liam, you don't have to apologize," she replied. "I'm not mad at you. I just asked a question, that's all."

"You remind me of an angel when you sleep, so at peace with the world that it makes me wonder if I'm marrying an angel or marrying the love of my life," Liam replied honestly.

His words brought tears to Carrie's eyes and she leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips.

Liam returned her kiss and then pulled back, taking her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs and wiping the tears that were now flowing down. "I love you so much, Carrie."

"I love you too, Liam," she replied. "More than you'll realize."

"I want to take you somewhere today, so go get dressed, Ms. Salvatore," he said in a soft, ordering tone.

Carrie nodded. "Okay."

She kissed him one more time and got out of bed to get dressed, wondering where he was taking her.

**Meanwhile**…

Bridget arrived at the school where she found Ruby verbally getting angry at a man that was trying to persuade her to do something. She moved over and smiled at the man. "Let me try," she suggested before turning to Ruby, who began to calm down.

"Budge, you shouldn't be here to see me like this," Ruby told her.

"Nonsense, Red," Bridget said as she guided her older sister away.

Ruby sighed at her sister. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm here to see you," Bridget said. "I wouldn't be a good sister if I didn't."

"I'm sorry about HIM," Ruby said with a nod of her head over at the man from earlier. "He's done nothing but pester me."

Bridget glances over and gives him a wave. "I think he's good-looking."

Ruby shook her head and then, she said something that Bridget wasn't expecting to hear, "They gave up too easily."

Bridget gave her sister a curious look. "Who gave up too easily?"

"Mum and Father," Ruby said. "They gave up too easily. I know that there's a doctor somewhere that can operate on my eyes. The people here keep talking about it and that's why I feel that Mum and Father gave up too easily. It's not too late to fix this, Bridget, I just know it."

"Oh, Ruby, I do think they know, and they'd have Aunt Francesca do it, but it's really up to them," Bridget told her older sister as she reached over and clasped Ruby's hand.

"Then, that's who I want to fix my eyes," Ruby said. "I don't want to be blind forever."

**In Virginia**…

"It is a risky surgery," Francesca explained to her brother-and-sister-in-law. "But…I want to do this, for Ruby's sake, as well as both of your sakes."

Sage nodded. "You have no idea how much we appreciate this, Francesca. Ruby doesn't want to be blind forever, and we don't want that either."

Francesca nods then hugs the redhead. "I'll set up an opening when I can arrange my schedule to go to Italy. I don't want to bring her here," she told the couple.

Finn nodded. "Good idea. Don't want to draw attention when it isn't necessary. As Sage said, we appreciate that you're willing to do this for Ruby. I'll admit it was foolish to send her to that school, especially when it didn't look like she was happy when we left her there."

Francesca laughs. "I'm sure that she didn't," she said before hugging her brother in law as well. "I'll call you later about what days I can go to Italy, okay?"

Finn returned her hug and nodded. "Okay." He stepped back and then took Sage's hand. "We'll be expecting your call."

**Later**…

Sage was arranging and rearranging the books in the library to keep herself occupied and Finn noticed this when he walked by on his way out to check on Eleanor. He paused in the foyer then went into the library, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "It's okay to be scared, Irish Rose," he whispered into her hair, nuzzling her temple.

Sage nodded and turned in her husband's arms, tears welling up in her eyes and letting them fall down her face. "I just don't want to lose her, Finn."

"I don't either, to be honest," he confessed softly, tears flowing down his own face.

Sage buried her face in his chest, sobbing against his shirt, getting it wet.

After they both got a few rounds of tears out, the couple finally stepped away from each other, their eyes locking before Sage was leaping at Finn and he crushed his mouth to hers, whirling her toward the couch and pinning her onto it with his body.

Sage moaned eagerly as she returned Finn's kisses, running her hands all over his body before slipping off his jacket and practically ripping his shirt open, running her fingers all over his chest.

Finn's hands removed her blouse then he picks her up and carries her upstairs, where he backs her against the wall next to the door, mouth crushing hers once more as he rubs his hardened member against her to create friction.

Sage moaned against his mouth as she felt his hard erection against her core and pulled away from his lips to let out a scream of pleasure. Finn turned her around then began walking her backward toward the mattress, following her onto it once the backs of her legs made contact.

Finn removed her bra and threw it on the floor, kissing and caressing her breasts.

Sage's hands found their way into his hair and tightened their grip as he moved downward, pressing open-mouthed kisses along the skin of her stomach until he reached the waistband of her jeans. "Oh, Finn, please don't stop," she pleaded with him.

Finn smiled at her. "I have no intention of stopping, Irish Rose. I intend on giving you everything I've got."

**Meanwhile**…

Their eldest daughter was on her way back to her room when she heard footsteps behind her. "I told you to go away!" she demanded to the man that she'd been spending time with earlier.

The man behind her smiled. "I just want to get to know you, signora. There's no harm in that."

"Yes, well, I don't care what you want," Ruby said. "I want you to leave me alone!"

"You're so beautiful when you get angry, Ruby," the man said with a smirk.

"How do you know my name?" she demanded.

"Are you kidding? Your family is practically royalty here," he replied. "That and I heard your name when your sister was talking to you before."

Ruby sighed before still going towards her room, where she sank down onto the bed after feeling her way around the room to get there.

Ruby sighed heavily as she lay on her bed. She couldn't wait until she got the surgery for her eyes, because to be honest, she couldn't stand it in here, especially not with that annoying man who kept insisting on getting to know her.

**The Next Morning**…

Sage woke up to find Finn smiling at her as his tanned fingers stroked over her bare thigh as well as her bare shoulder. "Good morning, my Irish Rose," he said softly.

"Good morning, my British Prince," she replies softly back, scooting over to kiss him on the lips.

Finn returned her kiss and pulled back, smiling at her. "How are you doing today, my love?"

"Much better now that we're communicating more," she replied.

Finn nodded. "That's good." He kissed her softly again. "I love you so much, Sage."

"Not as much as I love you," she replied before rolling onto her back when her cell phone began to ring.

"Ugh, don't answer that," Finn grumbled.

"I have to, it might be important," Sage said, kissing him before pressing SEND and bringing the phone up to her ear. As soon as she put the phone to her ear, she said, "This is Sage Mikaelson."

"Sage, it's Francesca."

Sage sat up when she heard her sister-in-law's voice before turning a little to Finn and mouthing, "Its Francesca." He nodded and moved close while Sage said, "Francesca, hi. We were expecting your call. So, when are you free to go to Italy?"

"Well, I have good news," Francesca said. "I was checking my schedule last night and it turns out that I have off the next two weeks, so I can fly to Italy and do the surgery then."

Finn left the bedroom and went to get the calendar from downstairs, bringing it back and allowing Sage to drool a little at how sexy he was without a stitch of clothing on.

Sage licked her lips before saying to Francesca, "Well, Finn and I will definitely make sure that we come at the same time that you're there."

"That's good," Francesca said. "Ruby will need you and her father for support."

Sage watched as Finn tossed the calendar to the side at the sight of his wife licking her lips before kneeling down in front of the bed, reaching out for her ankle and pulling it toward him. She bit down on her bottom lip to suppress the moan that threatened to erupt before ending the call with Francesca and letting the moan loose as Finn pressed open-mouthed kisses along the skin of her ankle and foot.

Sage let out a moan as she felt his kisses on her skin. "Oh, Finn, you're so good."

Finn smirked against the skin of her leg as his kisses moved upward toward her inner thighs.

**Rome, Italy – Later**…

Liam held Carrie's hand as they walked through the streets of Rome, taking in the scenery. Liam stopped every once in a while to take her picture with his camera and then asked for one of the people to take a picture of both of them. During their journey, they came upon the church that Klaus and Caroline had gotten married in twenty years ago. In fact, they just recently had their vow renewal ceremony there. Carrie looked at him. "Is there any particular reason why we're here, Liam? I mean, we were just here not too long ago for your parents' vow renewal."

Liam smiled at her. "I know. I brought us here because this is where I want us to be married. My parents were married here and I thought this would be the perfect place for us to be married as well."

"I agree 100%," Carrie said with a smile back at him, kissing him softly as she leaned into him, placing her hand on her growing belly.

Liam placed his hand on top of hers, returning her kiss. "Come on, let's go inside."

Carrie nodded and took his hand as they walked inside, marveling at the beauty within the church. "Oh, it's so beautiful!" Carrie said excitedly.

Liam smiled at her excitement. "My mother thought so too when she walked in here for the first time. She was pregnant with me at the time, and as she walked through the church, she would rub her belly and say to me, 'This is the place you'll marry the love of your life in someday'."

Carrie looked at him. "It would seem that she was right."

**Two Days Later – Rome**…

Sage walked, more like ran, ahead of Finn, laughing the entire time as they playfully chased each other through the back streets behind the buildings. She squealed when he finally caught her around the waist and she pouted at him. "No fair, you caught me," she told him.

"It wouldn't have been fun if I hadn't," he said with a playful pout back at her before leaning down to kiss her softly.

Sage returned his kiss. "You make me feel like such a teenager, you know that?"

"Of course I do," he replied. "I feel the same way."

Her arms wrapped around his neck as his nose nuzzled her cheek affectionately. They pulled apart briefly so Finn could answer the call from Francesca. "We'll be right there," he said briefly before ending the call and putting his phone away. He kissed Sage softly again before running his hand down her arm in a soft caress then took her hand in his, linking their fingers together.

Francesca was anxiously awaiting their arrival when Finn and Sage got to where she said to meet her. She saw the two of them holding hands and smiled. "You two remind me of me and Henrik when we were on our honeymoon, happy and savoring the romance all around us."

"We realized that we needed that trip to the bed-and-breakfast more than anything," Sage told her sister in law with a smile aimed at her husband.

Francesca smiled. "It definitely worked. I'm glad we arranged it."

Sage and Finn both turned to look at her in shock. "You were in on this?" they asked in unison.

Francesca smiled innocently. "It worked, didn't it?"

"It certainly did," Finn said with a smile as Sage nestled into him and he kissed the top of her head.

Sage smiled at her husband and kissed him before looking at Francesca. "Now, let's help Ruby get her eyesight back."

**A Few Hours Later**…

Ruby's eyes blinked as Sage and Finn watched with patience, her hand gripping his just as tightly as his was gripping hers. Ruby then turned to look at her parents, and when they came into view, they were clear and not blurry. "M…Mum…Father? I...I can see you now." Tears stung her eyes as she repeated, "I can see you."

Francesca came into the room just as Sage and Finn were embracing each other tightly, with Sage sniffling into her husband's neck. "Surgery was a success, I am glad to see," she says with a smile to her niece.

Finn smiled at Francesca. "Yes, it was a big success."

**Author's Note:** And what a success we're having so far! Thanks to all the amazing reviews, and reviewers! You've made this franchise between Erin and I quite the success and we're so proud to give you endless collaborations!


	22. Chapter 22

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Ruby has reconstructive surgery on her eyes, which is a success. Liam and Carrie go see the church where his parents were married and agree that it will be their place too._**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Rome, Italy – After Ruby's Surgery**…

"Mommy will be home soon, Cooper, I promise," Ruby said with a smile as she talked to her son via the web-cam on the laptop computer Francesca had brought for her niece.

Cooper nodded. "Okay. I miss you, Mommy."

"I miss you too, big guy," Ruby said with a smile.

Before she ended the call, Ruby said, "When I get home, I'll have a big surprise for you. But, you won't get it unless you are a good boy, okay?"

"I promise I'll be good, Mommy, I really promise!" Cooper said with a grin, holding up two fingers together then pressing them to the screen. Ruby did the same before scrolling her index finger over the laptop's mouse and clicking EXIT on the webcam.

Ruby sighed as she sat back in the chair. She couldn't wait to go home and see her son, mostly because she missed the crap out of him.

**In Virginia**…

Cooper shut off his computer then turned to his great-grandma. "Thanks, Nana!" he said on his way out of the office.

Eleanor smiled. "You're welcome, sweetheart."

After he went upstairs to his grandpa's old room, Eleanor went to her own room to lie down in the bed she and Mikael had shared for such a long time, curling up with his pillow wrapped in her arms.

Eleanor sighed heavily as she clutched the pillow tighter. "I love you so much, Mikael. I miss you every day and I wish that you were here with me right now."

Cooper came back to check on his great-grandmother, finding her gone from the study, so he went to her bedroom and knocked gently, getting no response. He eased the door open and moved inside, going over to the bed and gently shaking her, backing away after feeling her cold skin. Cooper ran from the room and went back downstairs in a rush, encountering his great-uncle and great-aunt, Elijah and Katherine, just arriving. "Cooper, what's the matter?"

Cooper looked scared. "It's Nana. She won't wake up."

Elijah looked at Katherine and she gave him a nod, gently embracing Cooper as the young boy held onto her while Elijah went to check on his stepmother-in-law, checking for her pulse but finding none. He pulled out his phone and began sending out text messages to each of his siblings, including Sabrina and Olivier.

**Tuscany, Italy**…

Klaus heard his cell phone vibrate and picked it up. He saw that he had a text message from Elijah, his eyes going wide as he sat up on the couch. Caroline came in and saw him. "Nik, what's wrong? What happened?"

Klaus looked up at her, tears running down his face. "It's Eleanor. She…she died in her sleep."

Caroline immediately came around the couch and sat down next to him, embracing his head as he cried into her shirt. Her hands ran soothing over him as she let him cry.

Caroline felt her own tears fall down her cheeks as she comforted her husband. She loved Eleanor from the moment she met her when she and Klaus were dating. In fact, she became like another mother to her. It was hard to believe that Eleanor was gone and she was already missing her terribly.

**Rome, Italy**…

Sage was curled up on Finn's chest as they slept before rolling over to pick up his cell phone from the nightstand, shaking him until he finally opened his eyes and she handed the phone over to him. "That was Elijah; Eleanor passed away in her sleep," Finn said after a few minutes of silence.

Sage saw the sorrow in her husband's eyes and held him close to her. "She's with your father now."

Finn nodded, his expression still sad as he rolled over away from her, sitting up and tugging a little of the sheet away to cover himself up. "I just never thought it would be this soon, though," she heard him mutter.

Sage saw him turn away from her and cuddled up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I know it's soon, Finn, but I want you to know that I'm right here for you, like I always have."

Her husband nodded and turned his head a little to kiss her softly. "Do you know how much I love you, Sage?"

Sage smiled. "I do, and I love you just as much."

**Meanwhile**…

Rebekah glanced at the text message then turned when her only daughter came into the room. "Mum, what is it? What's the matter?" Alexis asked with a concerned tone.

"That was your Uncle Elijah sending me a text message. Alexis, sweetheart, Nana passed away earlier," Rebekah told her, attempting to reach out to comfort her daughter but Alexis scooted away then turned to run, going straight into her father's open arms.

Stefan hugged Alexis to him. "I know, baby, I know. I miss her too."

**Meanwhile**…

Liam and Carrie returned from the church and noticed that Klaus and Caroline were crying. Curiously, Liam asked, "Mum, what's wrong?"

Caroline looked at her eldest son. "We got a text message from Uncle Elijah. Liam, Nana Ellie died in her sleep."

Liam began backing away, but Carrie tugged on his hand. "No. You deserve to grieve with your parents, Liam. Go ahead, its okay," she told him softly before turning and leaving the room.

Caroline motioned for her son to approach her. "Come here, baby, its okay."

Liam walked over to the couch and his parents made room for him, hugging him after he sat down.

Meanwhile, Carrie found her parents sitting outside with a half-eaten tray of apples, grapes, all kinds of fruits. Damon noticed her sad expression first and Elena untangled herself from her husband after seeing it too so Damon could get up and open his arms out to Carrie, who ran into them immediately.

Damon rubbed his daughter's back soothingly as she began to sob. "She was a great lady, Eleanor. She will be missed."

"Yes, she will," Elena said as she joined in on the hug, giving Carrie a comforting smile as she stroked her daughter's hair.

Carrie sighed. "But, she'll never get to see her great-great-granddaughter, or see Liam and I get married."

Damon pulled back then. "Wait, say that again."

"Say what again?"

"That first part," Damon said. "Are you saying that you're having a baby girl?"

Carrie nodded. "Yes, Daddy, I am. Liam and I talked about naming her Alexandria. Her full name will be Alexandria Eleanor Mikaelson."

"I think that's a beautiful name, sweetheart," Elena said as she hugged her daughter completely.

Carrie smiled through her tears. "And later, when Liam is feeling up to it, I'll tell him what I told you. For right now, I'll just let him grieve with his parents."

**In Bangkok**…

Sabrina sat up in bed as she red the text message from Elijah and she turned her head when her companion sat up next to her. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"It's a text message from my brother, Elijah. My mother passed away earlier," she replies.

Sabrina's companion saw the sad look on her face and pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back consolingly. "I'm so sorry, love."

Sabrina nodded. "Thank you." She sighed. "It just seems so soon. I mean, we just buried my father not even a month ago, and now, my mother is gone."

"Perhaps she couldn't go on without him."

"Maybe," she said, sighing again. "I want to go back for her funeral. You know, say good-bye to her and see my family."

Wyatt nodded in response, staying quiet as he kissed her shoulder. Sabrina felt Wyatt kissing her shoulder and sighed, a tear rolling down her cheek. Although she was grateful that Wyatt was here with her, she already missed her mother terribly and wished that she didn't have to go so suddenly. Of course, perhaps Wyatt was right about Eleanor not being able to go on without Mikael. After all, the two of them had been soul mates, and their love was eternal.

**In Rome**…

Francesca checked her voice mail messages then listened to one from her husband, gripping onto the edge of the nurses' station at the hospital where she'd performed her niece's surgery.

Francesca then dialed Ruby's number, hoping to tell her what she heard. After several rings, her niece picked up. "Hello?"

"Ruby, it's Aunt Francesca," she replied. "I just got a message from your Uncle Henrik. I have some terrible news."

Ruby could hear how nervous her aunt was on her end. "What is it?"

"It's Nana Ellie, sweetheart," Francesca said. "She…she passed away earlier. Your Uncle Elijah has been sending text messages to everyone in the family, telling them the news."

Ruby was shocked. She had seen a glimpse of her Nana earlier while she was on the web phone with her son and Eleanor seemed to look fine to her. Ruby blinked. "I don't understand. I thought she was fine?"

"Well, she died shortly after you got off the phone with Cooper," Francesca said. "Believe me, I'm just as shocked."

"Yeah," Ruby said before ending the call when her parents came in, eyes both red.

Finn looked at his eldest daughter. "I suppose your Aunt Francesca already told you?"

Ruby nodded. "She did. She said Uncle Elijah sent Uncle Henrik a text message about Nana Ellie. I just don't understand it. She was just fine when I was talking to Cooper earlier."

"We thought the same thing, sweetie," Sage said. "We just buried your grandfather. Now, not even a month later, this happens."

**A Few Days Later – Virginia**…

Elijah, Henrik, Kol and Lexi and Olivier all waited at the two gates, side by side, that would bring all their siblings and nieces and nephews and in-laws home from Europe and Asia.

Klaus and Caroline emerged from the gate first, hand in hand, somber looks on their faces. They were both still numb from the news, and from the redness of their eyes, they appeared to have been crying on the plane. Elijah saw them and went to greet them. Klaus let go of Caroline's hand and embraced his brother. Elijah rubbed his back consolingly and said, "I know, Niklaus, Eleanor's loss has been felt greatly by all of us."

Klaus nodded tearfully. "It just isn't fair. We just buried Father not even a month ago and now, Eleanor is gone."

Sage and Finn were the next to emerge with Ruby between them. Everyone turned to the couple and their eldest daughter, shock embedded on their faces as Ruby nodded tearfully as well. "I can see!" she told them all with soft enthusiasm.

Caroline smiled at her niece and went to hug her. "That's wonderful, sweetheart."

She was still hugging her when Liam and Carrie emerged, hand in hand. Ruby turned to them, saying, "I can see, guys!"

"OH MY GOD, RUBY, YOU CAN!" Carrie shrieks as she hugs the redhead, jumping up and down with her.

Liam smiled for the first time in days when he heard his cousin's announcement. "Ruby, love, that's wonderful news!" He looked at Carrie. "In fact, it's just as wonderful as when my bride-to-be told me we're having a baby girl."

"That's so great!" Ruby said, squealing again with Carrie as she jumped up and down with the brunette.

Maria was the next to come out, following behind Rebekah and Stefan. She saw Carrie, Liam, and Ruby celebrating and scowled curiously. "Okay, what did I miss?"

Ruby smiled at her cousin. "Ria, I can see again! Isn't it wonderful?"

Maria saw that Ruby wasn't lying and smiled as well. "Oh, Ruby, that's great!"

"That's not all," said Ruby. "Liam and Carrie's baby is going to be a girl!"

Maria smiled and went over to the couple, hugging them tight.

The next out of the gate was Stefan, Rebekah and Alexis. Alexis' eyes were still puffy and Katherine moved over to hug her, knowing she would need comfort.

Katherine ran her fingers through her niece's hair. "I know, sweetheart. We all miss her."

**A Few Days Later**…

Every one of the grandchildren, and even Cooper, had had a good relationship with Eleanor, and they all loved her like a second mother.

Finn tried not to cry as he went through the will that Eleanor had drawn up several years ago, making edits along the way. At the time, it seemed trivial for her to have a will, but now, it didn't matter, because she had gotten one should the inevitable come.

Gathering up the will, Finn left his father's office at the mansion he loved and took well care of during the month that his father had been gone.

Sage was waiting for Finn as he walked out of the mansion. It was quiet until she said, "Did you find it?"

Finn nodded. "Yes, right where Father kept it." He sniffed as tears finally poured down his face. "I just...keep hoping that she's on vacation somewhere and she'll be back in a few days. I don't want to think that she's gone."

Her tears matched his as she embraced him tightly to her. His hand still held the papers in one hand while both arms embraced her back. Finn nodded and handed her the papers. "Here."

Before Sage left, he pulled to him and kissed her softly. She kissed him softly back before stepping back. "We don't want to be late, do we?" she whispered.

Finn nodded. "No, we don't." He took her hand. "Come on, let's go."

They got into their SUV then drove to Elijah and Katherine's place, where the family was meeting for the reading of the will. All of the siblings, Sabrina and Olivier included, hadn't wanted to do the reading at their childhood home, agreeing that it held too many memories of watching Mikael and Eleanor grow old together, as well as all the events that had taken place there.

Finn could feel the tension in the air as he and Sage arrived at Elijah and Katherine's house. He had no idea how this was going to go, even though it was part of the process.

When they were walking up to the front door, they heard raised voices from inside and knew a verbal fight had broken out between his siblings.

The verbal fighting increased as Finn and Sage walked inside. He found them in Elijah's study and loudly shouted, "THAT'S ENOUGH, ALL OF YOU!" Everyone immediately shut up at his yelling and they all turned to look at him as he continued, "Do you really act like this in the presence of young children?"

Kol looked guilty. "You're right, Finn, this is a dishonor to Eleanor's memory."

"And Father's as well," Elijah chimed in from where he stood behind Katherine. He hadn't been amongst the ones arguing, but had stood silently behind his wife as they talked amongst themselves.

Liam, who also hadn't been amongst the ones arguing, said, "I agree with Uncle Elijah. Grandfather and Nana Elli would be disgraced if they saw how you lot are behaving."

Klaus looked guilty as he listened to his son. "Indeed. They'd chastise us for our behavior."

Everyone glanced toward the soft whimper that came from the corner of the study and Finn ventured over to see that it was coming from his own grandson. "Cooper, hey, are you alright, son?"

Cooper's lip quivered as he replied, "Everyone was yelling and it scared me."

His mother sighed from her spot beside Liam before she opened her arms to him. He went over to her and settled into her lap as she stroked his auburn hair and comforted him with soft, soothing words. "Mommy loves you, and she knows you don't like it when people fight. So, for your benefit, EVERYONE who was fighting is going to say they're sorry, right?" she asked, looking around at her aunts and uncles and giving them a stern look.

"We're sorry, Cooper," Kol, Lexi, Rebekah, Stefan, Sabrina and Olivier echoed in unison.

Klaus nodded. "Yes, Cooper, we are sorry for scaring you. We knew you don't like fighting, and we did it anyway."

Cooper nodded, his head still nestled in the crook of his mother's neck as she rocked him a little. Finn nodded. "All right, now that everyone is finally acting maturely, let's get down to business, shall we?"

Getting out his glasses, Finn opened the papers, which had been folded in a tri-fold before he began to read aloud: "I, Mikael Victor Mikaelson, hereby decree this to be my final will of testament…"

Everyone in the room listened as Finn read from Mikael's will. They paid special attention to the items that he had left for each member of the family. Liam was especially surprised when he heard that he had inherited the Mikaelson family mansion. Of course, he knew that his grandfather had wanted him to have it, especially now that he was going to be having a family of his own.

After the reading of the will, Finn removed his glasses and looked at everyone around him then paid a special look of attention to his wife sitting next to him on the arm of the chair he sat in. She reached down and clasped his hand in hers to let him know she was there and Finn looked back at his siblings while he said, "I know you all know that we all loved Eleanor as much as our own mother, even when Mum fought tooth and nail to make sure that she was still a part of our lives. So, later, we are going to gather at the mansion and give Father and Eleanor one final celebration, okay?"

Elijah nodded. "That's a splendid idea, Finn."

"I think so too," Klaus said. "Father and Eleanor deserve a send-off and what better way to do that than to give them a celebration?"

Finn nodded again then looked at Sage, who gazed back at him. "I think we'll host two different ones then combine them before we all give the keys over to Liam. Will that work for you all?" he asked his younger siblings.

Klaus nodded. "That works for me." He looked at Caroline. "How about you, love?"

"If it works for him, it works for me."

That being said, she gave her husband a look before walking out of the room. Klaus excused himself and went after her, not sure why she was upset all of a sudden, even though in the back of his mind, he thought she was having a mood swing. He caught up to her in the garden, gently grabbing her arm. "Caroline, talk to me. What's wrong?"

Caroline looked at him, tears streaming down her face. "You're not the only one who lost family members, Nik. Before we left to came here, I got a call from my father. My mom was in a car accident. She…she didn't make it."

Klaus gave her a sympathetic look before pulling her into his arms, running his fingers through her hair. "I'm so sorry, Caroline. I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything," his wife whispered. "Just hold me, okay?"

**Author's Note:** Time for an update! Yes, this chapter is slightly sad, but I hope the next one will lift your spirits because … IT'S PARTY TIME!


	23. Chapter 23

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Finn reads Mikael's will and Caroline finds out about her mother._**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Later**…

The farewell party for Mikael was in full swing, with food and music galore. Liam and Carrie were dancing on the dance floor, celebrating his inheritance. Carrie kissed him and said, "I'm glad you got the mansion."

"I am too," he replied. "I consider it an early wedding present from Grandfather. Plus, we'll have room for Alexandria."

"Yes," Carrie said. "It'll be big enough for her and her brothers and sisters." She saw his face. "Yes, I want us to have a big family."

"I don't have any problem with that, love," Liam said with a grin before kissing her softly.

On the stairs, Ruby and Bridget had set up some kind of ramp with mattresses up at the top of them. "Are you sure we can do this, sis?" Bridget asked skeptically.

Ruby smiled at her sister. "Of course we can. It's not like anyone is going to be using these mattresses again."

Bridget nodded before they were turning to their mom and giggling their heads off. "What? What's so funny?"

Bridget continued to laugh and Ruby said, "Nothing, Mum."

Sage raised an eyebrow. "Nothing, hmm; you're up to something and I want to know what it is."

"Well, it's just that Father had this entire romantic thing planned and you're kind of missing it," her eldest daughter told her.

Sage smiled. "You're absolutely right." She looked at her daughters as she continued, "Thanks, girls!"

She kissed their foreheads then, as Ruby and Bridget watched with matching sighs, left the main mansion and they knew she was heading to one of the two extra houses, where she found one door partially open to the first one.

Sage arrived at her destination and opened the door to see Finn waiting for her. He smiled at her. "Good evening, my love."

Sage's green eyes glanced around at the dim lighting as well as spotting the candles scattered around the room. "Is this for…me?" she asked in a whisper so soft that he almost didn't hear it, but he had.

Finn nodded as he stepped over to her, his face close to hers as his warm breath ghosted over the skin of her face. Finn smiled at his wife. "You're so beautiful." He kissed her softly. "I love you, Sage."

Sage tugged him close, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck. "I love you too, Finn…_forever_," she whispered against his lips.

Finn smiled at Sage. "Let's get this evening started, shall we?"

Sage returned his smile. "Yes, we shall."

Finn guided Sage to the table set up for two and she turned to look at him with an awed gaze. "You're recreating our first time?" she asked, smiling widely.

Finn smiled. "Yes, my Irish Rose. I am recreating our first time. I figured it would be appropriate, since we've recently rekindled our passion at the bed and breakfast, thanks to Henrik and Francesca."

"Do you remember what I said to you on our first date? I said that I hadn't been hungry for food and you'd fulfilled my wish," she whispered. Finn gulped when he saw her playing with the hem of her gray T-shirt that said 'I LOVE GREECE' written in navy blue across the front of it.

Finn nodded. "Oh, yes, I remember that."

He watched with wide eyes as she slowly lifted the gray material upward until it's moving above her head and falls onto the floor. Finn stepped closer and lifted Sage until her legs wrapped around his waist, claiming her lips in a hungry, demanding kiss, moaning when she responded just as hungrily.

Finn then reached behind her and undid the clasp of her bra, tossing it to the floor and then leaving her lips to kiss and caress her breasts, gently lifting one up to suck on it.

Sage's head falls back until she feels his hand cup the back of it, underneath her hair and she moves it back until she can gaze into his passion-darkened eyes. "Finn, please…" He nodded silently then moved around the table, going toward the cushions of the couch and sitting down on them with her in his lap.

Sage panted and let out a scream of pleasure as she felt Finn's hands caressing her every curve, not caring if anyone heard her.

Finn's hands dipped beneath the elastic waistband of her cotton pajama/sweatpants combination, finding them rather sexy on her. Sage then helped Finn off with his jacket and shirt, trembling at the feel of his soft skin under her fingers. Finn moaned as he felt what she was doing, slowly pulling down her panties and pajama pants, running his hands across her thighs.

Her husband glanced up into her green eyes, which had turned a darker shade with all the passionate kisses and caresses that were consuming their heightened desire to make love. Finn then helped Sage remove his pants, moving up to capture her lips again. Once they were both completely naked, Finn picked Sage up and carried her toward the middle door, pressing her against the frame around it and kissing her hungrily.

Finn grabbed Sage's hips as he entered her and began to thrust hard and fast against her. His wife's hips bucked involuntarily against his as her legs locked around his waist, tearing her mouth away from his to let out a scream so loud that she was afraid it might shatter her vocal chords.

Finn smiled and then kissed her throat, feeling the vibration of her screams against his lips. "That's right, Irish Rose, scream for me. Let me know you're enjoying this."

"Oh god, Finn, do you know what your words alone do to me?" Sage asked as she began to tremble within his embrace.

Finn nodded. "Yes, I do. It's the same thing your words alone do to me."

**Two Hours Later**…

Sage put the ice cream carton down on her husband's chest then settled over him, holding out a spoon for him to take.

Finn smiled and took the spoon from her. Sage returned his smile and used her spoon to take some ice cream, Finn doing the same half a beat later. "I love this ice cream. And I was so glad that no one saw me sneaking in the back door of the main house to get it from the freezer," Sage said after she ate her bite.

Finn nodded. "I remember when Ruby was five years old. She knew she couldn't have sweets before dinner, so she tried to take some cookies from the pantry."

"Oh, she was so mad when we took them from her!" Sage said with a smile as she nodded her head, taking another bite of ice cream.

Finn smiled and took some more ice cream. "I know, but we couldn't let her break the rules."

**Later**…

Ruby and Bridget went to check on their parents' progress, peeking into the window of the second addition house on the property and smiling at each other when they found Sage sprawled on top of Finn, an empty carton of ice cream on the coffee table, two spoons lying beside it.

Bridget and Ruby silently gave each other high fives. They were definitely proud of themselves, especially since their parents had recreated their first time.

Inside, Sage stirred on her husband's chest then opened her eyes to find him waking up as well. "Good morning, you," she said in a husky murmur, scooting up to kiss him softly.

Finn smiled and kissed her. "Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?"

Sage nodded. "Oh, I definitely did." The redhead turned when she heard a soft rustle in the bushes outside and raised an eyebrow. "I think someone is spying on us."

Finn heard the rustle as well. "Yes, and I think I know who it is too."

Ruby and Bridget heard that and made a run for it, heading back into the main house's back door, sliding to and fro in their house slippers and trying not to fall on the slippery tile floor. They reached the kitchen and stopped when they saw their Uncle Elijah drinking his morning coffee. "Good morning, girls," he said with a knowing smirk.

Ruby giggled. "Good morning, Uncle Elijah."

"What are you girls up to?" Elijah asked before taking another drink of his coffee.

Ruby and Bridget looked at each other and then Ruby said, "We were spying on Mum and Father."

Elijah nodded. "I figured that from the way you ran in here."

Bridget poked her older sister and pointed behind her. Ruby glanced quickly before she ran out of the kitchen but Finn grabbed his other daughter instead, tickling her. "Father, no, no, don't!" Bridget squealed in the attempt to get away.

Finn refused to give in and said, "You spy on us, you get the Tickle Torture."

Bridget continued to laugh and squeal as her father continued to tickle her.

Meanwhile, Ruby was hiding just inside the study when she heard footsteps coming her way. She quickly retreated in the opposite direction, but was snatched around the waist before she could get very far.

Ruby then felt Sage tickling her. "Mum, no, please, not the Tickle Torture!"

"That's what you get for spying on me and your father," the older redhead replied. "Your sister is getting the same punishment as you are."

**Meanwhile**…

Katherine stirred from her spot on the couch when she heard voices as well as giggles coming from the kitchen and the hallway just outside the living room.

Katherine scowled and then went toward the kitchen, where Elijah was still drinking coffee. "What's going on?"

"Ruby and Bridget spied on Finn and Sage," her husband replied. "So, as punishment, they're being subjected to the Tickle Torture."

His wife gave him a knowing smirk before removing the coffee cup from his hands then leaning in to whisper in his ear, "Maybe you should punish me with the Tickle Torture?"

Elijah smiled at her words. "Are you sure?"

Katherine licked her lips. "I'm definitely sure."

The gleam in her husband's eyes when she pulled away encouraged Katherine to get a head start, running out of the kitchen and up the back set of stairs, which led to the attic/storage unit.

Elijah smirked and went after Katherine. He arrived at the attic/storage unit, where he caught her and began to tickle her, earning him a squeal and laughter from her.

Back downstairs, Sage and Finn finally met in the kitchen, their eyes both drifting upward to the ceiling when they heard the familiar squealing laughter coming from Katherine as well as Elijah's deep chuckles.

Finn smiled and said, "Looks like we weren't the only ones administering the Tickle Torture."

"Yep," Sage said as she sat down on top of the kitchen counter, picking up her cup of coffee and taking a drink.

Finn picked up a mug and poured some coffee. "I had a great time last night, Sage. You were and still are amazing."

"As are you, Finnegan," his wife said as she leaned over to press her face against his before he could drink his coffee.

Finn smiled against her lips and returned her kiss. "I love you, Sage."

"I love you more," Sage said as she wrapped one arm around his neck and her legs around his waist.

Finn smiled as he saw what she was doing and kissed her again. "What would you say if I told you that I wanted to renew our vows?"

"I'd say that was a wonderful idea," she replied. "Klaus and Caroline already renewed theirs, so why not?" She paused then put down her coffee before taking his cup and setting it down next to hers, wrapping her other arm around his neck. "But…if we're going to do that, I want it to be here, where you grew up."

Finn smiled. "I'd love that."

Sage nodded again then later, when everyone else woke up, she gathered herself, Katherine, Caroline, Rebekah, Lexi and Francesca along with all of their daughters into the study, closing them all inside of it. "Finn asked me if we could renew our vows. And I said yes," she said simply.

Caroline smiled. "That's wonderful, Sage. I had a feeling that after Nik and I renewed our vows, you and Finn would soon follow."

Sage smiled back at Caroline. "That is why I'm going to need you all to be my mini wedding planners. I'm going to put one in charge of decorations, one with music, one with the dresses and a fourth with flowers. Caroline, you'll do the music. Um, Lexi, you and Katherine can do the dresses. Rebekah, I'd like you to do the decorations. Ruby, Bridget, you can help Aunt Rebel with decorations, can't you?"

Caroline nodded. "Music is no problem. I'll ask Nik and Liam if they wouldn't mind playing for you."

"That would be lovely, Caroline," Sage said with a smile.

Ruby and Bridget nodded and Ruby said, "We'll definitely help with the decorations."

Katherine smiled. "Those dresses are as good as done."

Sage nodded. "Francesca, you and I can work on the cake samples, okay?"

Francesca smiled. "Ooh, cake!"

Caroline went to find Klaus and saw him transposing a sketch onto the canvas. "Nik, may I have a word with you?"

Klaus looked at her. "Sure, love, what do you need?" He got nervous. "Is the baby all right?"

"No! No, the baby is perfectly fine. I was actually just appointed by Sage as one of her mini wedding planners and she asked me to do the music. I was hoping I could persuade you and Liam to play for the ceremony and the reception," Caroline replied.

Klaus nodded upon hearing that. "I can definitely arrange that, love."

"Arrange what?"

Klaus and Caroline turned and saw Liam in the doorway. Klaus cleared his throat and said to his eldest son, "Your mother was just appointed to be a mini wedding planner for your Aunt Sage, and she wants us to play at the ceremony and the reception."

Liam smiled. "That sounds perfect. I'll definitely do it."

**Meanwhile**…

Katherine, Lexi, Maria and Lexi and Kol's daughter Nadia walked into the dress shop owned by Vicki and April, who had moved back to Virginia to help with her mother-in-law's health.

April smiled at the women. "Hello, everyone; is there anything in particular you're looking for."

Lexi nodded first. "Yes, Sage asked for dresses in these specific colors," she told April as she handed the sheet of paper to the brunette.

April took the piece of paper from Lexi and nodded as she saw the list of colors Sage wanted for the dresses. "You know, we just got the colors you have on the list, so this shouldn't be a problem."

Lexi smiled. "Awesome. April, you are an angel. Sage is going to be ecstatic when I tell her that you have the colors she needs."

While April got the material for them, Lexi and Katherine sat down in chairs next to each other while their daughters sat in chairs across from their mothers.

"These are beautiful," said Katherine. "Sage is going to love these."

"She is! April, if we showed you the designs of the dresses she wants, would you like us to help you make them by hand?" Lexi asked the brunette.

April nodded and smiled as she replied, "Oh, definitely."

**Author's Note:** Third update of the day! YAY ME AND ERIN! The next one will probably show some flashbacks for Sage & Finn, so if you get confused, let us know! ~Katie and Erin~


	24. Chapter 24

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", the family remembers Mikael and Eleanor by celebrating at the mansion. Finn and Sage reminisce of days gone by._**

_**Chapter Twenty-Four**_

_**33 Years Earlier**_…

_A younger looking Sage walked out of the gate for the passengers and immediately collided with a hard body. "Ooh, why don't you watch the bloody hell where you're going?!" she demanded as she stepped around him to go in search of her cousin._

_A younger Finn eyed her curiously and grabbed her wrist. "Excuse me, watch where I'm going? You walked into me, so I think that the one who should watch where they're going is you."_

_"Let go of me, you big oaf!" Sage screeched at him as she pulled her wrist from his firm grasp._

_Finn saw her pull away from him and when she tried to walk away from him, he stepped in front of her. "I believe you owe me an apology. For both walking into me and for calling me names. A lady should never insult a man, no matter how angry she is."_

_"Yes, well, pal, the Irish lass in front of you isn't going to apologize!" Sage hissed before she was saved by the blonde walking up to them._

_"Excuse me, but is there a problem, Mr.?" her cousin Alexia Branson demanded of the man when he continued to harass Sage._

_Finn scowled at the blonde. "I'll say there is. This little one here is refusing to apologize for walking into me and for calling me names."_

_Alexia scowled back. "Sage isn't little. And as far as apologizing is concerned, I don't think she owes you a damn thing."_

_Finn looked at Sage as he asked, "Sage, huh? Well, I must say, that is a beautiful name for one so angry." He cleared his throat. "I'm Finnegan Mikaelson, but you can call me Finn."_

_"How NOT so lovely to meet you, Finn; excuse me, but my cousin and I have somewhere to be," Sage said as she and Alexia linked arms and walked away. Once they were out of earshot of Finn, Alexia began to giggle. "It's not funny, Alexia Josephine! He almost knocked me over."_

_Lexi giggled again. "I know, but he sure is handsome."_

_Sage rolled her eyes and replied, "Yeah, handsomely obnoxious."_

_Lexi watched as Sage's glance moved quickly over her shoulder. "Oh my god, I didn't see it before! How could I have been so blind? You LIKE him!"_

_Sage looked at Lexi incredulously. "Like him? Me? Don't be ridiculous, Alexia. I can't STAND him!"_

_"Oh, come now," the blonde replied. "That's how every great love story begins."_

_Meanwhile, back at the gate, Finn was waiting for his 4 brothers, his father, his sister and his stepmother, plus his two half-siblings to get off the plane as well. His glance went toward the redhead almost out the door and he sighed. Would he ever see her again?_

_Finn's attention was soon diverted away from the door by the sound of his father calling to him and he looked to see Mikael emerging from the gate, along with Eleanor, Sabrina and Olivier. Finn smiled and went over to them. "How was the flight, Father?"_

_"Oh, can't complain," he replied. "Eleanor enjoyed it." He looked at his wife. "Didn't you, my love?"_

_Eleanor nodded. "Yes, it was lovely."_

_Finn bent down to his half siblings' height. "And did you two enjoy the flight?" he asked Sabrina and Olivier._

_Their 4-year-old heads nodded eagerly. "We got to go in first class because of Daddy's job!" Sabrina said with an almost-toothless grin._

_Finn smiled. "Wow, first class? That's exciting." He looked at Mikael. "Where's everyone else?"_

_Mikael nodded toward the gate, seeing Elijah emerging. "They're on their way out now."_

_Elijah was arguing with the very pregnant brunette beside him. She was yelling at him in French and he was yelling back in Greek._

_Finn listened to Elijah arguing with the pregnant brunette, smiling slightly. It reminded him of his encounter with the lovely Sage earlier._

_**Later**…_

_Finn left the new apartment he would be living in for as long as he could and instantly collided with a familiar set of curves. He glanced to see that it was the same redhead from the airport and he gave her a smirk. She scowled back at him before turning to unlock the door to her apartment, which was across from him. Stepping forward, Finn locked his arms around the redhead's waist, keeping her from doing anything else. "I can make you scream my name. Just a thought for when you're trying to sleep tonight," he whispered in her ear._

_Sage felt herself shiver against her will as Finn whispered into her ear. "What if I don't want to scream your name?"_

_"Oh, don't be so sure," he replied. "You'll scream my name, because I know that you want me."_

_Sage turned around and looked at him. "Do you like being so cocky…Finn?"_

_Finn smirked. "Yes, I do…Sage." He then leaned in and kissed her softly, pushing her up against the door._

_She shook her head in determination, pushing him away. "No. I am not ready for a relationship right now, okay?" she said softly before opening the door to her apartment and going inside._

_Finn followed her inside then grabbed her elbow before she could retreat to her bedroom and to her privacy, pulling her flush against him and kissing her in a hot, demanding and passionate manner, one hand fisting in her red curls to keep her head in place. "Who said anything about a relationship?" he ground out against the skin of her neck when he finally broke the kiss and began marking a trail downward with his lips._

_Against her will, Sage trembled and panted. "Damn you, Finn, why do you have to kiss the way you do?"_

_Finn smiled against her neck, licking and then nibbling on the sensitive flesh with his teeth._

_Sage shifted a little away from him, breaking his concentration on kissing her neck then crossed her arms down by her sides. Finn realized her intention and helped her peel her heather gray blouse up over her head, tossing it onto the floor behind him._

_Finn smirked. "You're so beautiful."_

_Sage smirked as well. "Thank you." She unbuttoned his shirt, her fingers making contact with his chest before kissing the soft skin there._

_They broke apart when they heard someone outside the door calling his name. "Finnegan, where are you?"_

_"Who is that?" Sage asked as she grabbed her blouse and put it back on before Finn buttoned his shirt back up._

_Finn bit back a curse. "Sarah!"_

"That was how you and Finn met? I always thought it wasn't until after, when your dad hired him to keep you safe," Caroline said as she, Rebekah, Katherine, Lexi and Francesca all listened to her story.

The six women were gathered at Caroline's childhood home until the wedding, which was to take place the following week, close to Sage and Finn's anniversary.

Sage sighed as she drank from her tea cup. "Well, technically, yes. We fell in love after my father hired him to protect me."

Caroline nodded. "Either way, it sounds like a very compelling story. And I thought Nik and I didn't like each other when we first met."

"That was my fault," Katherine said. "I gave you crappy directions to the restaurant that night, which resulted in you getting there half an hour late. But, it doesn't matter now anyway, right? You and Klaus have been happily married for twenty years with five great kids…well six with the baby on the way, and Klaus worships the ground you walk on."

Reaching over, Katherine poked Rebekah. "Oh, that's a good story, mine and Stefan's first meeting. I'll certainly never forget it!"

_**Virginia State University – 22 Years Ago**_

_Rebekah Mikaelson was in the library, doing some research on something for her class, when she saw a rather handsome young man with dark blonde hair and green eyes. She smiled as she approached him. "Looking for anything in particular?"_

_Her question made him look at her. "Well, kind of. I was hoping that I would find a book that would help me with a project for my Public Relations class." He smiled. "By the way, I'm Stefan Salvatore. What's your name?"_

_Rebekah returned his smile. "It's nice to meet you, Stefan. I'm Rebekah Mikaelson."_

_"Well, Rebekah Mikaelson, it's very nice to meet you," Stefan said as he lifted her hand to kiss the knuckles._

_Rebekah felt him kiss her knuckles and giggled. "You're quite a gentleman, Stefan."_

_"My mother raised me to treat a lady with respect," Stefan said. "I'm just applying what I learned."_

_A dark-haired woman came running up to Rebekah and whirled her around. "He proposed! And I said yes!"_

_"Oh my goodness, Danni, that's so great!" Rebekah said as she hugged the other woman. "You have to let me help plan your wedding."_

_"Of course, because that's why I'm here; I want you to be my maid of honor, Bekah," the woman said._

_Danni then caught sight of Stefan. "Bekah, who's you friend here, because he's definitely a cutie."_

_Rebekah smiled and turned around to make with the introductions. "Danni, this is Stefan Salvatore. Stefan, this is my friend, Danielle Nichols, Danni for short."_

_Stefan nodded. "It's lovely to meet you." He took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "Your fiancé is a lucky man to be getting a beautiful young woman like you for his wife."_

_"I don't know about me, but I think my friend here found someone who certainly knows that chivalry hasn't died," Danni said with a smirk at Rebekah, who made a face back at her._

"Stefan did that, really?" Caroline was definitely astonished as her sister-in-law finished her story.

"Yes, he did," the other blonde replied. "Needless to say, he made quite an impression on both me and Danni. In fact, that same day, I asked him to be my date to Danni's and Vaughn's wedding. I know it was a bit forward after I just met him and all, but he accepted the invitation and we had a lovely time. There were some jealous buzzing among the other girls in the wedding party, but I didn't care, as long as I had Stefan Salvatore on my arm."

Sabrina, who had been playing a game on her cell phone, glanced up then reached over to poke Lexi. "I'm curious about yours and Kol's first meeting," she told the blonde.

Lexi blushed. "Sabrina!"

"Come on, Alexia, I want to know," her sister-in-law replied. "Please? Sage told us how she met Finn and Rebekah told us how she met Stefan. I even heard how Caroline met Niklaus. Come on; tell me how you met Kol!"

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you!" Lexi finally shrieked. "It all started at the beginning of my almost short-lived music career, during a mix-up of drinks."

_**New York City – 22 Years Ago**_

_Lexi Branson stepped off the stage after her set was over. Eager to wet her whistle, she went to the bar, where she ordered a gin and tonic. When it came out, she saw that it was a different drink. "Wait, this isn't my drink. Who the hell has my drink?"_

_"I have it, love."_

_Lexi turned around and saw a rather handsome young man with dark hair as she asked, "How?"_

_"Apparently, the bartender is an idiot." He smiled. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Kol Mikaelson. What might your name be?"_

_"I'm Alexia Branson, who just finished with the band on stage," she said with a smile._

_Kol smiled again. "Well, Alexia Branson, it's a pleasure to meet you." He lifted her hand kissed her knuckles. "And I enjoyed hearing you sing."_

Lexi giggled. "Thank you."

"Awe," Sabrina and Francesca said in unison, both dodging the pillows Lexi threw at them.

**Meanwhile**…

Liam was sitting in the living room at the mansion, strumming his guitar and practicing what he was going to be doing for the ceremony and reception. He looked up and saw Carrie walking in and carrying a tray with a plate of freshly sliced apples and cheese, smiling at her. "Oh, thank you, love."

"You're welcome," she replied. "I thought maybe you'd like something to snack on." She set the tray down on the coffee table, kissing him before stealing a piece of apple from the plate. "So, how's it going?"

"It's going great," Liam said. "It was a bit tough in the beginning, but it's getting there."

Nadia came wondering in then. "Hello, cousin!" she said excitedly as she plopped down next to Liam.

Liam glared at her then softened his look when Carrie sent one his way as well.

Liam took a slice of apple from the plate. "What do you need, Nadia?"

Nadia gave him a grin identical to Kol's. "What makes you think I want something?"

"Because, you've only been known to pester ANY of your cousins whenever you want something to do, and it's not funny any more, Nadia," Carrie responded with a frown. "What do you really want?"

Nadia pouted and was about to reply when she saw Klaus walking into the room. "Hi, Uncle Nik," she said.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Hello, Nadia. Bothering your cousins again, I see."

"Actually, Father, we were about to ask her what she really wanted when you walked in." Liam looked at Nadia. "Now, spill it, Nadia, what do you really want?"

"Mum wanted to know if she and I could join in on the duet you and Uncle Niklaus have been planning for Uncle Finn and Aunt Sage's wedding," Nadia suggested as she picked out an apple slice, crunching into it.

Klaus smiled at that. "You know, that's not a bad idea. We could use some female vocals." He looked at Liam. "In fact, I think that's what the song was missing. That's why it didn't sound like it was complete."

"Now that you've mentioned it, Aunt Alexia and Nadia joining us could solve our problem," Liam said. "If we add them in, it won't be a disaster."

Klaus nodded. "Then, it's a good thing we didn't give up."

"What song are you two doing for it?" Nadia asked as she picked up the notebook from the table.

Klaus and Liam looked at each other and then Liam looked at Nadia. "A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. It's the perfect song for Uncle Finn and Aunt Sage, since it describes their relationship perfectly."

**One Week Later**…

Nadia and Liam stood beside each other, with their respective parents behind them, as they all watched Sage glide down the stairs. Nadia began to sing first:

**_Heartbeats fast  
Colors and promises  
How to be brave  
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall  
But watching you stand alone  
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow  
One step closer_**

Lexi took the chorus and the next verse:

**_I have died everyday waiting for you  
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you  
For a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more_**

_**Time stands still**_  
_**Beauty in all she is**_  
_**I will be brave**_  
_**I will not let anything take away**_  
_**What's standing in front of me**_  
_**Every breath**_  
_**Every hour has come to this**_

_**One step closer**_

As Sage took Finn's outstretched hand from where he stood at the foot of the stairs, Liam strummed his guitar then began to sing with a clear, beautiful voice:

**_I have died everyday waiting for you  
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you  
For a thousand years  
I love you for a thousand more_**

_**And all along I believed I would find you**_  
_**Time has brought your heart to me**_  
_**I have loved you for a thousand years**_  
_**I love you for a thousand more**_

_**One step closer**_

Finn and Sage walked to the makeshift altar, where Pastor Young was standing, and when everyone was seated, he said, "We are gathered here to witness the renewal of vows of Finnegan Cooper Mikaelson and Sage Victoria O'Reilly Mikaelson. They have each written their own vows that they will share now."

Finn took Sage's hands and said, "Thirty-three years ago, I was honored to call you Sage Mikaelson and today, I get to have that honor again. I love you just as much now as I did then and will keep on loving you every day for the rest of my life."

Sage smiled and said, "It's been a blessing to have you as my husband, Finn. You have made me the happiest woman in the world and until my last dying breath, I will thank you for making my life complete. I love you, now and forever."

As they exchanged eternity rings, Lexi and Klaus joined their voices together to finish off the song for the couple:

_**One step closer**_

_**I have died everyday waiting for you**_  
_**Darling don't be afraid I have loved you**_  
_**For a thousand years**_  
_**I love you for a thousand more**_

_**And all along I believed I would find you**_  
_**Time has brought your heart to me**_  
_**I have loved you for a thousand years**_  
_**I love you for a thousand more**_

At the reception later on, Caroline smiled at her husband and son. "You guys were amazing. I was crying the whole time you sang."

**Meanwhile**…

Ruby was outside getting some fresh air when she sensed a presence standing there and turned to smile at an unfamiliar face. "Can I help you?"

The man Ruby spoke to turned and smiled at her. "I was looking for a Ruby Mikaelson."

"I'm Ruby Mikaelson. Why? Who wants to know?"

"You've been served, Ms. Mikaelson," the man said before placing the envelope into her line of vision.

Ruby blinked. "I'm what? Who the hell sent you?"

"Caleb Steward," the man replied simply before turning and walking away.

Finn saw how upset Ruby was when she came in. "What's wrong, Ruby Red?"

"Your former son in law is going to fight me for custody, that's what's wrong!" Ruby said, holding out the envelope in anger.

Finn took the envelope from her. "Well, if it's a fight he wants, it's a fight he's going to get!"

"Agreed," a long-lost voice said from the doorway, and everyone turned to see a face they weren't expecting to see.

Ruby gasped when she saw..."Colin?"

Colin smiled as he walked in, Tanya at his side. "Yes, cousin, it's me. I got a text from Bridget after we got back from our honeymoon and we couldn't miss out on seeing Uncle Finn and Aunt Sage's vow renewal."

Another familiar face appeared behind Colin and Tanya, and Sage let out a sound that fell somewhere between a gasp and a squeal. "COOPER, YOU'RE HOME!"

Colin smiled. "Yeah, and to reiterate what Uncle Finn said, if it's a fight Caleb wants, he's going to get one. When he messes with one Mikaelson, he messes with all the Mikaelsons."

Sage pointed over Colin's shoulder to her only son as she began to cry silent tears of joy. Their nephew turns and greets the cousin he brought home as a surprise for his Aunt Sage, knowing that the redhead missed him dearly. Cooper shook Colin's hand then moved over to his mother, opening his arms to her as she fell into them, muffled sobs escaping her as he rubbed her back comfortingly.

Cooper kissed his mother's forehead as he said, "Happy anniversary, Mum."

Sage sobbed a little more. "Thank you, Cooper. I missed you so much. I'm glad you're here."

"I've missed you too, Mum," Cooper said as he finally turned to his father as he approached the hugging duo. "And hello to you, Father; happy anniversary."

Finn smiled at his son. "Thank you, son, it's good to see you."

**Author's Note:** Because you all are great with the reviews, here is another update from your two FAVORITE collaborators, Katie and Erin! We have already discussed it and we'll be planning out more chapters after 25, so be on the lookout soon!


	25. Chapter 25

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Finn and Sage renew their vows and their son, Cooper, returns._**

**_Chapter Twenty-Five – Elijah and Amelia_**

_Amelia rubbed her belly with one hand and brushed her hair with the other. She was getting herself ready for when Elijah came for her. They had been keeping their relationship hidden from her parents, mostly because they thought Elijah was a bad influence on their daughter. That, of course, couldn't have further from the truth, but trying to convince Reginald and Margeaux Spencer to change their minds was unfortunately futile._

_She heard the familiar buzzing of her cell phone from beneath the covers of her bed and Amelia quickly grabbed it when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. She got back under the covers and covered her entire body up with them, waiting with bated breath until whoever it was went away._

_Once she was sure that the coast was clear, Amelia took her phone out from beneath her covers. She looked at the screen and saw that it was a text message from Elijah. The message read: "When should I come for you?"_

_Amelia quickly typed her answer: "Don't come here. I'll meet you at the café downtown."_

_Once the message was sent, she quickly got out of bed, went to her window and climbed out, and after spotting the car Elijah had gotten her for her birthday, she climbed into it and started the engine, driving away from the house before anyone saw her. As she made her way to the rendezvous point, she placed a gentle hand on her belly, saying to the baby, "That was a close one. Though, I have a feeling we're not going to be so lucky next time. Mother and Daddy will surely discover the secret your father and I are keeping and try to tear us apart."_

_She got to the café and spotted Elijah immediately before he was standing up to greet her with a firm embrace and a soft, passionate kiss. Amelia stepped back after a few minutes and said, "Elijah, I don't think we're going to be able to keep this a secret anymore. Sooner or later, we're going to be found out. My parents aren't stupid, they have connections, and…"_

_"I know that, darling," he replied. "Believe me, I knew of the risks the moment I met you." He kissed her again. "Fear not, my love, I have a plan to get us out of this." He placed his hand on her belly. "I will protect you and our daughter."_

_Amelia nodded then nestled into his embrace some more before she said, "Sarah was telling me that she's trying to figure out a way to trap Finn into marrying her. I keep telling her it's a bad idea, but she doesn't want to listen to me."_

_Elijah nodded. "I agree with you. My brother isn't the kind of man who marries a woman because she forces him into it. He's the kind of man who marries a woman because he loves her. Sarah is a sweet girl, don't get me wrong, but I'm not sure she knows what love really is."_

_"You're absolutely right," Amelia said. "Finn may not want to marry her because Sarah pushes him into it." She sighed. "If only I can get Sarah to see what she wants to do isn't right."_

**Present Day – Mikaelson Mansion**…

A set of slender fingers lifts to knock on the wooden front door swiftly but in a medium volume.

Katherine scowled as she made her way to the door. Who could this be? It couldn't be Elena, because she was in Italy with Damon; unless, of course, she decided to come as a surprise. When she got to the door, Katherine opened it to reveal a young woman with brown hair. "May I help you?"

"I think you can," she replied. "I'm looking for Elijah Mikaelson. Is he here by any chance?"

"He is," Katherine said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Evelyn, his daughter."

Elijah had been talking to Finn, who had just gotten back from his second honeymoon, in the office within earshot of the front door. "Katerina, sweetheart; who is at the door?" he called out.

Katherine gave Evelyn a suspicious look before turning around and saying to her husband, "There's some girl who's looking for you. She says her name is Evelyn and that she's your daughter."

Elijah excused himself from Finn and joined his wife at the door. Before he could say a single word, he was amazed at how much she reminded him of Amelia, only Amelia had been a brunette, like Katherine. Evelyn noticed the looks they were giving her and said, "I'm not looking for money, if that's what you're thinking. I don't want any trouble either. I do want to come in, though."

Elijah nodded and stepped back, taking Katherine's hand as he said, "Of course."

The two of them watched Evelyn step inside and then close the door behind her. Katherine then looked at her husband and said, "Elijah, what is going on here? Is there something you're not telling me? Is this girl really your daughter?"

Before he could answer her, Evelyn saw Finn out of the corner of her eye and ran up to him, hugging him fiercely while she said excitedly, "Uncle Finn! It's so great to see you! How's Aunt Sage?"

"She's wonderful. I was actually just about to leave to go see her. You look just like your mother, Evelyn, and I hope to see you again soon," Finn said as he hugged her quickly back before turning to shake his younger brother's hand, kissing Katherine's cheek on his way out the door.

Once Finn was gone, Katherine decided to try again to get some answers from her husband. "All right, Elijah, you've got some explaining to do. I want to know just what the hell is going on around here." She pointed her index finger straight at him. "And you'd better not lie to me, because if you lie to me, I swear to God you're not going to hear the end of it. Now, why didn't you tell me that you had a daughter? Did you think I was stupid and wouldn't figure it out?"

Grabbing her hand, he gave a curt nod to the other brunette to sit down in the chair before pulling his wife into the office and closing and locking the doors behind him. "Katerina, I had no idea that she would show up like this, you have to understand that. Her mother actually died in child-birth and I allowed her to be raised by Amelia's older sister, who, coincidentally happens to be Finn's ex before Sage."

Katherine felt tears sting her eyes. "Did you love her? Evelyn's mother, I mean?"

"She was my first love, yes," he replied. "Her parents thought I was a bad influence on her, so we kept our relationship hidden."

"And you hadn't tried to contact your daughter until now?" Katherine asked him as she sat down on the chair just inside the office.

Elijah went over to his wife, kneeling before her and taking her hand, kissing her knuckles. "What do you mean, until now? Katerina, you make it sound like I'm a bad father. I contacted Evelyn many times, but I had to be careful about how I did it, because I didn't want anyone to know about it." He reached up and wiped one of her tears away. "It's true that I loved Amelia, but it wasn't the same as the love I have for you. You're my wife and that is something that will never change, you have my word." He stood up, lifting her up with him and looked into her eyes before kissing her softly. "I love you so much, Katerina, you have to believe me. I love you, Maria, Colin, and the little one you've got in your belly. I'll never favor Evelyn over them, I swear it."

"We all love you, Elijah, and Evelyn is a part of the family," Katherine said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Elijah smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. "I'll let her in and you can tell her."

Katherine nodded and stepped back, kissing him softly. "We'll tell her together. She needs to hear it from both of us."

Her husband nodded then wrapped an arm around her shoulders before he moved over and unlocked the office doors.

Evelyn saw the doors open and stood up when she saw Elijah and Katherine. Before she could say anything, Elijah said, "Evelyn, love, there's something we need to tell you."

"Yes, Father, what is it?" Evelyn asked him with the smile that matched her mother's.

Katherine stepped forward. "Evelyn, your father explained everything to me and I'd love it if you lived with us. I know you didn't know your mother, but you'll definitely know your stepmother, as well as your half siblings."

"I…I have half siblings?" Evelyn asked with a wide-eyed look.

"Yes. You have two. A half sister named Maria and a half brother named Colin. You also have a new sister-in-law, her name is Tanya," Elijah replied with a smile.

Evelyn smiled. "Oh, that's great! I'd like to meet them!"

"I think we can definitely arrange that," Elijah said. "They'll be more than happy to meet you."

"True, they'll be confused at first, but we'll explain it to them," Katherine said. "That way, they won't be."

**Later**…

Elijah walked with Evelyn into the cemetery, his arm around her shoulder as they searched for one particular gravestone. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't here to see them before they passed, Father," she said, referring to her father's father and stepmother.

Elijah nodded solemnly. "They would've adored you. I know Eleanor definitely would, since she was the kind of woman who loves everyone."

His older daughter nodded. "I would have loved them too. They would have been the complete opposite of Mother's parents," she told him with a tearful smile.

Elijah nodded. They finally reached the gravestone they were looking for and Elijah kept his arm around Evelyn as he said, "Father, Eleanor, I have someone I'd like you to meet. This is Evelyn, the daughter I had with Amelia. She came all the way here to be with us and I know that if you were still here, you would've adored her." He looked at Evelyn. "Go ahead, love, they're listening. Just say what's in your heart."

Evelyn nodded and looked at the gravestone. "Hello, this is Evelyn, your granddaughter. I wish that we could've met sooner, because from what I've been told, you were remarkable people and you never had a bad thing to say about anyone. My other grandparents were simply awful, which was why my parents had to hide their relationship."

"She has turned out to be a remarkable young woman, Father and Eleanor," Elijah added with another sad smile.

Evelyn was about to say something when she felt a gentle breeze around her, caressing her cheek and combing through her hair, startling her a bit. "Father, what was that?"

"I think that was your grandparents hugging you and welcoming you into the family," he replied. "They were also letting you know that you can come here and talk to them whenever you like."

"I will definitely do that. I also know that they're going to be watching over me and my little girl too," she said as she stood back up then hugged Elijah.

"You have a little girl?" Elijah asked in a surprised voice. "What is her name?"

Evelyn smiled at her father. "I named her after mother. Her name is Amelia Elizabeth Hastings."

"You're married as well?"

Evelyn nodded. "Yes, to a good man named Robert Hastings. I know I should've told you earlier, but…"

"It doesn't matter," Elijah said. "But, I would like to meet my son-in-law and granddaughter. I know that Katherine would like to meet them too."

"Robert is probably on his way now. He called me earlier this morning before I came to the mansion and said that he'd be bringing Amelia soon," Evelyn replied as she stepped back from her father's embrace.

Elijah smiled at his daughter. "That sounds like a plan to me. Robert and little Amelia are welcome here. This place may be willed to your cousin Liam, but it's your home too."

Evelyn smiled as well. "Thank you, Father."

"Of course, my daughter," Elijah said. "Now, what do you say we head back to the house? I have a good feeling that Katerina has called Maria and Colin to tell them."

Evelyn smiled and nodded. "All right, that sounds good to me."

**Later**…

Finn chases after his wife, glad that he was still young enough to keep up with her.

Sage laughed as Finn chased her. Said laughter increased when he finally caught her, gently pushing her against the wall. "You caught me."

"Indeed I did," he replied. "I enjoyed the chase though." He kissed her softly. "I saw Evelyn. She was at the mansion."

"Evelyn? That's a name I haven't heard in a while," Sage said. "What was she doing there?"

"I'm not sure, I only saw her briefly before I came here," Finn said. "My best guess is that she was there to see Elijah."

His wife nods and leans in to kiss his cheek. "Catch me again if you can," she challenged him before turning and running again.

Finn smiled and took after Sage, following her laughter. He caught up with her in the bedroom, pushing up against the door as he closed and locked it behind her. "There, now you can't get away from me."

Sage giggled. "You're so bad."

Finn smirked and kissed her. "Only when it comes you, my Irish Rose. You bring out the naughty little boy in me."

**Meanwhile**…

Ruby had just picked her son up from soccer practice and was pulling into the driveway of her sister's home to drop him off before she drove to her former home. Ruby got into the driveway then braved herself by getting out of the car and going up to the front door.

As she approached the house, Ruby noticed Caleb standing there. That's weird; she didn't know he was going to be there. Still, it didn't make this any less comfortable for her. "Hello, Caleb. I wasn't expecting to see you here alone. Did you get your lackey for the day off or something?"

"You're still upset about that?" he replied. "I know that your parents' anniversary party was an inappropriate time to do that to you and…"

"You're damn right it was inappropriate," Ruby said. "We were having a family celebration and you had to go and ruin it with your stupid legal garbage. Well, let me tell you something, Caleb Matthew Steward, we plan to fight you tooth and nail for this! If you mess with one Mikaelson, you mess with all of the Mikaelsons!"

Caleb didn't flinch. He knew that his ex-wife would be acting like this. He then noticed that something was different about her. "You look different, Ruby. Did you lose weight or something?"

"For your information, I had surgery to get my sight back," Ruby said. "Not that you care, seeing as how you abandoned me after you found out I was blind, saying that you didn't want to be saddle with a wife who couldn't see!"

In response, Caleb leaned down and crushed his lips to hers.

Ruby pulled back and slapped him. "What the hell do you think you're doing? I didn't say you could kiss me!"

"Oh, come on, Red, you certainly didn't mind it when I came to you before," Caleb said. She began backing away so he took that as his advantage to back her into the wall beside the front porch.

"That was before! Before I knew that you were still trouble for me," Ruby yelled, her voice softened to a whisper.

Caleb sighed. "Ruby, please, don't be like this."

"How do you expect me to act when I find out that you want to take my son from me?" she replied. "Caleb, you are a despicable human being, you know that? This is why I want to protect my son from you."

"OUR SON, RUBY, HE'S OUR SON!" Caleb yelled at her. "Or, have you forgotten that, hmm?"

"I have NOT forgotten!" she yelled back. "But, you've obviously forgotten that I am beginning to HATE you for trying to take OUR son away from his MOTHER!"

"I'm not trying to take him from you," Caleb said. "You'll still see him. I only want to be in his life."

"Well, you could have asked me, Caleb. I would have let you have visitation rights. But, serving me with papers isn't the way to go, okay?" Ruby said softly before leaning up and brushing her lips over the corner of his then quickly ducking under his arm and running off the front porch to the safety of her car.

Caleb followed after her and when he got to her car, he said, "All right, Ruby, I'll talk to my lawyer and tell him that I've decided not to pursue this, and that I just want visitation rights. I realize that all this is going to do was make our son think I was taking him away from his mother."

"I'll talk to mine as well," Ruby said before she started the engine of her car and backing out of the driveway.

Ruby drove away from Bridget's house and went to her childhood home, thinking about what she and Caleb talked about, as well as the scene that had unfolded between them.

She had just arrived at her childhood home when she heard the squeal of tires behind her. Ruby turned from her spot on the front porch and frowned when Caleb stepped hastily out of the car, stalking toward her in an extremely quick pace. "Go away, C…" she said before he cut her off when his mouth crashed to hers for the second time.

Against her will, Ruby returned his kiss and moaned against his mouth as the kiss deepened. She finally forced herself to step back and looked at him. "Caleb, you have to stop this. What is kissing me going to do?"

"I guess I'm hoping that it somehow brings back what we lost," he replied. "Ruby, I was wrong to do what I did to you. After you lost your sight, I never should've turned my back on you the way I did. I was scared, and I didn't know how to handle it." He kissed her again. "I love you, Ruby, just as much now as I did then, even if you don't think so."

**Author's Note:** Here's the hope that we can have a Ruby/Caleb reunion in the next chapter and that you'll come back soon for it!


	26. Chapter 26

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Elijah finally meets his now adult daughter, and Katherine meets her too. Ruby and Caleb argue about Cooper and kiss._**

**_Chapter Twenty-Six – Henrik and Francesca_**

_Francesca was standing on a ladder in the middle of the hallway, hanging decorations and was leaning over too far when she felt herself falling, but she never heard the thud of her body meeting the floor. Her eyes opened to look at who saved her fall._

_Henrik smiled at her. "Are you alright, love; any broken bones?"_

_Francesca nodded. "I am now, and no." She returned his smile. "Thank you for saving me, uh, what is your name?"_

_"Henrik, Henrik Mikaelson," he replied._

_"It's nice to meet you, Henrik," Francesca said. "I'm Francesca. Francesca Leroux."_

_"That's a very beautiful name," Henrik said as he gently eased her down onto the floor. Francesca bit her lip as she attempted to walk on her foot._

_Henrik saw that Francesca was having difficulty walking on one foot and just as she was about to fall again, he caught her. "You should probably have that foot looked at, Francesca," he suggested._

_She nodded and Henrik swept her up into his arms before carrying her toward the nurse's office._

_Henrik reached the nurse's office and said, "There was a little accident. The young lady was hanging some decorations and, misjudged where she was stepping, fell from the ladder she was standing on. Fortunately, I was able to catch her. However, she needs to have her foot looked at. She tried walking on it and nearly fell because of the pain she was in."_

_The dark-haired nurse nodded then frowned when she turned around. "Francesca, what on earth did you do?!" the woman asked her with a concerned look._

_"Aunt Theresa, I think that, just before I fell off the ladder, that my foot got tangled in the ladder and I twisted my ankle," Francesca told her._

_"There's no need to scold the girl, ma'am," Henrik said. "It was an accident, as I said before."_

_"Henrik, this is my aunt Theresa Young. Theresa, this is Henrik Mikaelson. He did save me before I could fall onto the floor," Francesca told the dark-haired woman._

_Theresa smiled at Henrik. "It's nice to meet you, Henrik, and thank you for coming to my niece's aid like that. You're quite the little gentleman."_

_Henrik smiled as well. "My father and stepmother always told me that when someone, especially a lady, is in trouble, I should do my best to help them in any way that I can."_

_**After School**…_

_Henrik smiled at his oldest brother when he pulled up in the SUV he drove for his job then climbed into the front passenger's seat, grinning over his shoulder at his niece Ruby, who was in the back seat. "Hi Ruby Red, how was your day?"_

_Ruby smiled at her uncle. "I had a great day, Uncle Henrik." She noticed the smile on his face. "How was your day?"_

_"My day was great, Ruby! I met a pretty girl today, after saving her from almost falling off of a ladder," Henrik replied._

_Finn listened to this. "Henrik met a girl? My little brother is growing up so fast. And what is this girl's name?"_

_Henrik smiled. "Francesca." He spotted her on crutches walking toward a car with the nurse from earlier. "That's her," he said, pointing her out to his oldest brother._

_Finn smiled when he saw the girl in question. "She's beautiful, Henrik. I can see why you were smiling when you said her name."_

_"How is Sage doing?" Henrik said as he changed the subject._

_Finn shook his head and decided to answer his question. "She's doing just fine."_

_"Oh? And she's not complaining at all because of the round-the-clock morning sickness?" Henrik asked, teasing his oldest brother._

_Finn rolled his eyes at his brother's words. "She does complain, yes, but fortunately, she has me there to make things better. Though, I've been on the receiving end of a mood swing or two. Last week, I got a black eye when she opened the closet door and I accidentally walked into it."_

_Henrik snorted. "That sounds like a faithful husband that my brother is turning out to be!"_

_Finn laughed slightly. "I'd do just about anything for Sage, Henrik. I know you don't understand it now because you're young yet, but when you're older and have a wife of your own, you'll understand the lengths I go to keep my wife happy."_

_Henrik smiles at his oldest brother. "You, Elijah, Niklaus and Kol are all devoted to your wives, which is really great. And Stefan is a great brother in law to have around for Bekah's needs," he said as Finn pulled the SUV out of the parking lot and began driving toward the mansion._

_Finn smiled. "Yeah, we are. Father is devoted to Eleanor, which is even better."_

_Henrik nodded. "It is. I guess I have all the role models I can get."_

Francesca glanced up when she heard the door creak open to the bedroom and she gave her husband a smirk as he stepped inside.

Henrik returned his wife's smirk. "Hello, beautiful."

Francesca laughed. "After all this time, you can still make me feel good."

"I should hope so," Henrik said. "Otherwise, I failed at my duties as your husband."

Henrik joined her on the bed, one set of fingers stroking her bare thigh before leaning over to kiss the skin.

Francesca felt him kissing her thigh and moaned as she lies back against the pillow. "Oh, Henrik, that feels so good."

Henrik smiled against her thigh, kissing it again. Then he moved up further, going toward the silk hem of her negligee.

Francesca arched her back as she felt him going further up and she lets out a scream of pleasure, earning her a smile from her husband. Henrik then played with the waistband of her panties. Kissing her stomach, he said, "You're so beautiful, Francesca."

"You make me feel beautiful, Henrik. You have since the day we met," she said on a strangled moan.

Henrik smiled. "Well, it wasn't hard when you stole my heart without any effort at all."

His wife smiled back at him then pulled him up until they were face to face. Francesca kissed him passionately. "I love you, Henrik Mikaelson, with every breath in my body."

Henrik smiled against her lips and returned her kiss. "I love you too, Francesca Leroux Mikaelson, forever and always."

**Meanwhile**…

Savannah Fell-Gilbert (Garrison) was slowly approaching the hospital when she felt a hand clamp tightly over her mouth before she was pulled backward into an alley. Once the other person removed their hand, she let her hands beat on their chest. "Damn it, Xavier, do you _mind_ not sneaking up on me?" she demanded in a medium volume.

"Oh, Van, you're so beautiful when you're spitting mad," Xavier said with a smirk.

Savannah growled at Xavier. "Don't call me that! You know I hate that nickname, even if it's meant to be cute."

Xavier laughed slightly. "Whatever you say...Van," he replied with another smirk.

The girl with dark blonde curls beat more on his chest before finally turning and stomping off. "How did you even know I was here?" she tossed as a demanding question over her shoulder, knowing he was going to soon follow.

Xavier smiled at her as he followed her. "Isn't it obvious? I know you work at this hospital and I thought I'd drop by to see you."

"Do your parents even know you're in Mystic Falls, Xavier Mikaelson?" Savannah asked as she headed into the hospital lobby, where she showed her badge to the guards at the front desk.

"Savannah, you wound me," he replied. "I called my parents the second I got into town, so they know I'm here."

She sent a smirk his way as she headed further into the hospital, giggling when the guards prevented him from going further in. "Sorry, Xavier, I'll see you later!" she called out as she walked backward before turning back around.

Xavier nodded as he watched her head into the hospital. "See you later, love. Have a good day."

Savannah looked over her shoulder and smiled at him before heading into the building. When she got to the wing she worked on, she was immediately greeted by the knowing smirk belonging to her almost half sister Nichole. "What?" Savannah asked as she settled herself into a chair then opened a chart that had been nestled into the wooden rack.

Nichole continued to smirk. "So, tell me, Savannah, what's the deal with you and Xavier?"

Savannah raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, girl, he's got it bad for you," Nichole said. "Why else would he come to town just to see you?"

Savannah blushed. "Nichole, stop it, will you?"

"If I stop pestering you, what's in it for me…a date with one of his friends, perhaps?" Nichole persuaded her friend.

Savannah sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "All right, fine, I'll ask Xavier if he can get you a date with one of his friends."

"See? That wasn't so hard," Nichole said. "Trust me; you'll thank me for this later."

Savannah shook her head at the girl who looked almost similar to her in looks before the two of them got to work.

**Meanwhile**...

Xavier pulled up to his childhood home, a smile on his face as he thought about Savannah. She was definitely a beauty and his heart raced at the thought of her. He was about to knock on the door, but it opened to reveal Lexi, dressed in a housecoat, indicating that she and Kol had been having some fun. Raising an eyebrow, he said, "I'd ask what you were doing, but I don't think I want to know."

Lexi smiled and changed the subject. "How did things go with Savannah?"

"She was surprised to see me," he replied. "But, things went well for the most part."

His mother nodded a second time then stepped aside and let him inside. "And, are you going to see her again?"

Xavier smiled as he walked into the house. "You know me, Mum. Once I have my sights set on something, I'm as relentless as a pit bull with a rawhide bone. There is no way I'm going to let a beautiful woman like Savannah Fell-Gilbert slip through my fingers again. I lost my chance the first time and I'm not going to let that happen again."

Lexi smiled up at him then reached up and gently pinched his cheeks. "You remind me so much of your father, it's hard to tell who's who sometimes," she said with a smirk.

Xavier smiled and laughed slightly at what his mother said. "I know, it's bloody scary how much alike we are."

They both turned when Kol came down the stairs, grinning big, which Xavier returned. "Xavier, my boy, it's good to see you visiting. What is this visit for?"

"I was homesick and I wanted to see how my beloved parents were doing," he replied. "That and I wanted to see Savannah."

Kol nodded. "Yes, your mother and I both know how much you loved that girl."

**Later**…

Savannah and Nichole were just parting ways at the hospital and when Savannah was getting ready to climb into her car, she felt a pair of arms close around her, while one hand clamped over her mouth.

Savannah felt a sense of dread going through her, not sure what was going on. After all, whoever this was, they could have a gun on them. "Wipe that scared look off of your face, Van," the voice whispered hoarsely in her ear.

"Xavier Mikaelson, how dare you pull such a stunt like this? It's not funny when you do that!" Savannah screeched as she began hitting his chest.

Xavier smiled and gently pushed her up against the car. "Would you rather I do this instead?"

Before Savannah could say anything, he captured her lips with his in a deep, passionate kiss, hearing her moan against his mouth as she reluctantly returned it.

But she was soon letting her reluctance go as her hands sneak up underneath the material of his shirt. "Xavier, take me to your place, please?" she pleaded hoarsely after breaking their kiss.

Xavier nodded as he replied, "As my lady commands."

He then helped her into the car and they drove off toward his house so that they continue their play.

Once they got there, Savannah pushed Xavier up against the front door, kissing him passionately as her hands went for the buttons of his shirt.

Xavier growled playfully against her lips. "Savannah, do you know how much I want you right now?"

She gives him a nod. "Show me, Xavier," she whispered before turning to unlock the front door with the keys she found in the pocket of his jeans then pulled him inside, shutting the door behind them.

Her arms crossed down by her sides and Xavier assisted her before crushing his mouth to hers, walking them backward toward his bedroom after ridding his body of his now open shirt then speared his fingers up into her dark blonde hair, his tongue sweeping every crevice of her honeysuckle sweet mouth.

"You're so beautiful, Savannah," Xavier said. "I fell so hard for you the moment I met you."

Savannah moaned as his hands moved up and down over her ribcage and breasts. "I did too, Xavier…"

She moved backward out of his embrace then sat down on the bed, scooting back onto it. Xavier followed her, a sort of predatory look in his eyes as his hands, curled into fists, settled on either side of her.

Savannah giggled. "Oh, Xavier, you're so sexy when you look at me like that."

He responded by kissing her passionately, his arms banding tightly around her. Savannah's arms wrapped around Xavier's neck, her legs wrapping around his waist as they began to roll around on the bed, alternating domination.

While Xavier and Savannah were alternating domination, they also continued to remove their clothing. Once they were completely naked, Xavier grabbed Savannah's hips and plunged his throbbing member into her core, thrusting slowly at first so that she could get used to him and then gradually picked up speed as he went.

**Two Hours Later**…

Savannah fell back onto the opposite side of the bed, her head at the end and her feet touching the wooden headboard in front of her. Xavier lay beside her on his stomach, one arm bent at the elbow as he looked at her.

Savannah smiled at Xavier. "That was amazing."

"It was," he replied. "You were amazing yourself, my dear."

"I don't want to take all the credit," Savannah said. "You were amazing too, mister."

Xavier laughed. "Okay, we were equally amazing just now, how's that?"

"That works great for me," Savannah said as she turned on her side then kissed him softly on the lips.

Xavier returned her kiss. "You're beautiful, Savannah. I know I said that already, but I can't help it."

"Well, you'll always know that I think you're downright sexy," Savannah said with a smirk.

Xavier smiled and placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I love you so much, Savannah. I was a fool to let you go the first time and I swear to you, I won't lose you again."

Savannah nodded as she moved closer until she was spooning in front of him. "I was a fool to push you away, Xavier. I had tried my hardest to get you out of my mind, but I couldn't do it," she said softly.

Xavier got up from the bed and went to his discarded jeans and took out a box, going back to the bed. "Savannah Grace Fell-Gilbert, I come before you as a man to ask you this question." He opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes. Oh, yes, I'd be proud to be your wife, Xavier Mikaelson," she said with a tearful smile.

Xavier smiled as he placed the ring on her finger and kissing it before moving up to her lips, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "I love you so much, Savannah."

Savannah smiled against his lips and returned his kiss. "I love you, Xavier."

**The Next Evening – John & Meredith's House**…

Savannah bounced up the front steps and greeted her father with a fierce hug as he stood in the open doorway. "Hi, Daddy," she said excitedly.

John smiled as he hugged his daughter. "Hello, Savannah. How is my little angel?"

Savannah stepped back and showed her ring. "I'm engaged."

"Congratulations, sweetheart; I'm happy for you," John said as he hugged her again.

Meredith came in just then, having heard what they were saying. "Did I just hear that my little girl is engaged?"

Savannah nodded. "Yes, Mom, I am. I'm engaged to Xavier."

"Oh, honey, that's great news!" Meredith said as she also hugged her daughter.

Savannah returned her mother's hug. "Thank you, Mom." She sighed. "I always knew that one day, Xavier and I would be together, but I didn't want to admit it for the longest time. It took seeing him again to realize how wrong I was to keep him at arms' length."

Meredith nodded as she led Savannah into the house. "I always knew Xavier was the one for you, from the moment we had that masquerade ball at the Mikaelson mansion to raise money for the hospital," she told Savannah.

"You did?" Savannah said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't mean to keep it from you," Meredith said. "I just thought you'd figure it out on your own."

**Author's Note:** Time for another update! How long do you think it will take for Savannah and Xavier to walk down the aisle? Let me know in your reviews!


	27. Chapter 27

**_Previously in "Pages in Between", Henrik and Francesca remember when they first met and Xavier proposes to Savannah._**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven – Epilogue, Part 1**

**Several Months Later**_…_

Carrie tried not to cry as she looked in the mirror. She was getting married today, to Liam Mikaelson, the man she loved. Elena smiled at her daughter's reflection, proud of what she had become. "You look beautiful, Carrie."

Carrie returned her smile. "Thank you, Mom. I feel beautiful." She rubbed her belly. "Alexandria feels beautiful too."

"I bet she does. Hello, Alexandria," Elena said as she bent down a little to speak to her daughter's belly.

Carrie smiled as she heard her mother speak to her belly, giggling when she felt a kick. "She's saying hello to her Grandma."

**Groom's Dressing Room – That Same Moment**…

Liam admired the painting his father had donated to the church, smiling at the detail that was put into it. It seemed to relax him, especially since he was going to be getting married within the next hour or so. Klaus, who was standing nearby, smiled at his son. "You like that one. You've been staring at it intently."

Liam turned slightly and returned his father's smile. "I always liked looking at your work, Father, even when I was little." He laughed. "I remember when I had started walking and I went into your studio. I saw this magnificent painting that was on a big easel in the middle of the room. I was mesmerized by it."

"Yeah, I remember that too," Klaus said. "I found you there and, seeing how fascinated you were, I picked you up and carried you around the room, showing you all of the art and watching your face light up." He laughed as well. "Your poor mother was on the verge of having a fit because she thought she lost you, little knowing that you were with me the whole time."

Liam laughed. "And that's what interested me in going into photography. That, and Carrie has been my muse for quite some time," he said with another smile. "And that brings me to what I wanted to show you…" The photographer went over to the canvas hidden beneath a blanket, pulling the blanket away.

When Liam removed the blanket from the canvas, Klaus was amazed by what he saw: a blown-up photo that Liam had taken of Carrie just several weeks before the wedding. She looked absolutely beautiful, and it reminded him of the one had taken of Caroline before their wedding twenty years earlier. "It's beautiful, son."

"I had it blown up and framed," he replied. "I'm going to surprise her with it at the reception."

"Carrie will absolutely love it. You've really caught the artists' bug, Liam. I'm very proud of you," Klaus said as he brought his hand up to clasp his oldest son's shoulder.

Liam smiled. "I learned from the best. I also hope that, one day, I could pass it on to Alexandria when she's old enough."

Klaus was about to answer him when Katherine appeared. "Guys, Carrie is almost ready, so you should make your way to the sanctuary."

Klaus nodded. "Thank you, Katerina, we're on our way." He looked at his son when she left. "Well, that's our cue. Nervous?"

Liam shook his head. "No, sir, I'm not. I'm more excited than nervous. I'm also happy because I'm marrying the love of my life, and at the same place you and Mum were married."

Klaus smiled. "Well, let's go get you married then," he suggested before gesturing to the door.

Liam nodded and followed his father to the door.

**Elsewhere**…

Damon smiled at Carrie as they stood by the door leading to the sanctuary. "You look like a princess, Carrie."

"I feel like one, Daddy," she replied. "I've been dreaming of this day since I was a little girl and now that it's happening, it's like all the dreams I've had about it have come true."

"I feel like I'm losing my little girl," Damon said on a choked reply. Carrie turned to look at him, giving him a tearful smile.

Carrie kissed his cheek and before she could reply, the music sounded and they walked into the sanctuary, arm in arm. From his place at the altar, Liam smiled as he saw his bride coming toward him. She truly did look like an angel, and it filled his heart with pride knowing that she was just moments from becoming his wife, something he had dreamed about for a long time.

When she reached his side, Liam extended his hand to Carrie, who smiled with tears brimming once again in her vibrant blue eyes. [I]"I love you, Carrie Veronica,"

he mouthed to her.

Carrie smiled at what he said. _"I love you too, Liam Niklaus."_

Once they were in position, the priest began the ceremony and when it came time for the vows, Liam took both of her hands and looked into her eyes. "Carrie, you have been a blessing to me since we were children and I fall more and more in love with you every day. I promise to love, cherish and protect you and our daughter for the rest of my life, because you mean everything to me."

Carrie smiled and tried not to cry as she listened to his vows and then proceeded with her own. "Liam, I have loved you all my life and it makes me happy knowing that I'm going to be your wife today. There's no one else I'd rather have by my side than you, because no one else can make me smile like you can. I also promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect you and our daughter for the rest of my life. I love you, Liam, and that's something I'll never regret."

**At the Reception**…

While Ruby was sitting beside her parents at their assigned table, Carrie was getting impatient as Liam led her to a room across from the reception room, not sure what he was planning. "Come on, Liam; just tell me what this is all about."

"It's a surprise," he replied. "Something I think you're going to love."

He then pulled the blanket off the frame and when Carrie saw what was under it, she gasped. "Did you do this? It's beautiful."

"Of course it is. It's you."

"It's me? But…when did you take it?" Carrie asked with the initial shock still on her face.

Liam smiled and kissed her cheek. "Three weeks ago, just before the wedding. I took a candid shot of you and then, I had it blown up and framed. I showed it to my father before the ceremony and he said that you'd love it." He kissed her neck and then moved up to nibble the shell of her ear. "Well, love, do you love your surprise?"

Carrie turned and looked at him. "How's this for an answer?" She then captured his lips with hers in a deep and passionate kiss, moaning against his mouth as he returned it and their tongues danced.

"I like that answer, love," Liam said as he pulled back then went over and closed then locked the door to the room where they were before moving back over to where she still stood.

Carrie giggled as he returned to her. "Mr. Mikaelson, you are so bad. What if they start worrying about us?"

"Let them worry," he replied. "They can get along without us for a little bit." He pulled her close. "Right now, I want to enjoy you, Mrs. Mikaelson."

Carrie bit down on her bottom lip as his head lowered back down into her neck and she tilted her head to the side to allow him better access.

Liam smiled and kissed her neck softly as he began to undo the back of her dress, feeling the soft skin underneath. "So beautiful…"

Carrie panted as she heard his whisper combined with his accent. "Your accent is sexy when it's in a whisper. It drives me crazy."

He smirked then finished removing her dress.

Carrie then took his face in her hands and kissed him passionately as she slipped his jacket off and then unbuttoned his shirt, trembling as she felt his skin underneath.

"Carrie, love, don't tease," Liam pleaded with her softly.

Carrie smiled. "Oh, I have no intention of teasing you. I intend on giving you everything."

**Back at the Reception**…

Ruby was still sitting at the table with her parents, fuming and wondering where her ex-husband was when a man wandered over. "Are you Ruby Mikaelson?" he asked.

"Yes, I am. And who might you be?" she asked.

"I'm Lionel Walters, and I'm representing Caleb Steward," he said. "He called me and told me that you were contesting the custody papers."

"That's right, I was," Ruby said. "I'm also going to be considering visitation rights." She eyed him curiously. "You're not going to serve me with more papers, are you? In case you haven't noticed, this is my cousin's wedding, and I won't have it disrupted by anything negative."

"Well, Caleb is also here, he just wants to speak to you outside, ma'am," Lionel told her. Ruby nodded and followed him outside.

Caleb smiled at Ruby when he saw her. "Hello, Ruby."

"Do you have any idea how long I waited for you?" she replied. "You missed Liam's wedding, when you promised me that you would show up."

"Ruby, I'm so sorry," he started to apologize, attempting to reach out and pull her into his arms but she shoved him so hard that he fell onto the ground.

"No! I'm sick and tired of your apologizing, Caleb Steward! You can forget about visitation rights!" she screeched before turning and running back into the church's reception hall.

Klaus saw Ruby coming back into the hall and gently grabbed her arm. "Ruby, love, what happened?"

"My idiot ex-husband, that's what," she replied. "He made a feeble attempt to apologize to me and I didn't want to hear it! I also told him that he could forget about the visitation rights, because his behavior tells me that he doesn't deserve them."

Klaus nodded then glanced over her shoulder. "I think we all deserve redemption, but if it comes down to it, family matters the most," he told her before putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her around.

Ruby forced a smile at what her uncle was telling her. "You're right, Uncle Niklaus, family does matter the most, especially on a day like today." She looked around. "Where do you suppose Liam and Carrie went to? They're missing everything."

Klaus smirked. "Oh, I'm sure they'll show up eventually. They're probably off consummating the marriage." He then saw them coming in, their clothes a bit messed up. "Ah, there they are now."

"Hey, you two," Ruby said as she tilted her head and grinned at her cousin and his new bride.

Liam smirked at Ruby. "Hello, Ruby. Worried about us, were you?"

"Not worried, exactly," she replied. "Though, I was curious about where you had run off to."

**Meanwhile**…

Bridget was outside getting some fresh air when she heard footsteps approaching her. Not sure who this was, Bridget immediately turned around, ready to defend herself if necessary. "All right, show yourself, whoever you are! And don't try any funny stuff, or I'll hit you where the sun doesn't shine!"

"Well, that would be unfortunate," an accented voice said from behind her. "Considering it would be your best friend that you're hurting."

Bridget recognized the voice. No, it couldn't be, could it? "Sam? Is that you? I thought you were in Iraq?"

"And miss the opportunity to see your look of shock when I surprise you in person? Never!" he said before grabbing her in a fierce embrace and spinning her around in a circle.

Bridget laughed as Sam spun her around and when he placed her down, she said, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm inviting myself to your cousin's wedding," he replied. "I know that the attire is formal and not military, but I just got here and this is the only thing I'm wearing." He showed her his duffle bag. "And I'm still packed."

She glanced down at his bag then glanced up at him before grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the church.

Finn looked up and saw Bridget coming in, holding hands with a guy. Curious, he walked over to them and said, "Bridget, who's this?"

Bridget smiled at her father. "This is Sam Rollins. Sam, this is my father, Finn Mikaelson."

"Wait, did you say Rollins? You wouldn't happen to be related to Jasper Rollins, the boy that my niece, Anastasia, is seeing, are you?"

Sam smiled. "Why, yes, I am. He's my brother. Matter of fact, he's the other person I came here to see." He looked at Bridget. "You have a very beautiful daughter, Mr. Mikaelson. Her letters and emails keep me sane while I'm fighting for my country, and so do her pictures." He looked back at Finn. "What I'm trying to say is, sir, is that I'm in love with her."

Finn looked between them then turned to Sam and held out his hand. "One thing I ask, Sam, is that you don't call me 'sir'. Are we good on that?" he asked with a smile.

Sam nodded and shook his hand. "We are, Mr. Mikaelson."

Finn laughed. "And what's with the 'Mr. Mikaelson' stuff? Call me Finn. Mr. Mikaelson makes me feel old." He grew serious then. "Besides, it was my father's name."

"Bridget told me about her grandfather's death in one of her recent letters," Sam said. "My condolences, sir…I mean, Finn."

"Thank you, Samuel," Finn said, shaking the younger man's hand again. "How do you and Bridget know each other anyway?"

Sam looked at Bridget. "Oddly enough, we met through my brother. He came home from having dinner at your father's place, and he said that he saw a beautiful girl there that he thought I'd be interested in. I was skeptical at first, not sure why Jasper would be playing matchmaker. But, when I met Bridget, all my doubts faded away and we hit it off right out the gate."

Finn nods as he looks back and forth between them before turning to his wife when she came up to them. "Samuel, how wonderful to see you again!" she said happily as she hugged the man.

Sam smiled as he returned Sage's hug. "It's good to see you again too, Sage." He stepped back. "I hope I'm not too underdressed for this."

"Oh, don't be silly, you're fine," she replied. "I know that you just got off the plane and you're still in your uniform. You're practically family anyway, Sam, so there's no harm in it."

Sam smiled at her then looked at Bridget. "Why don't we go surprise my brother and your cousin?" he asked before guiding her back into the room where the reception was being held.

Anastasia and Jasper were laughing and talking at their table when Jasper looked up and saw a familiar face coming toward them. Smiling, he got up and ran over to Sam, knocking him to the floor. Thankfully, Bridget had let go of his hand.

Laughing, Sam said, "Hey, kiddo. I missed you."

"I missed you too," Jasper said. "I can't believe you're here."

Sam chuckled again then pushed lightly on his brother so that Jasper rolled off of him before standing up and helping Jasper up off the ground, hugging him fiercely. "I decided to surprise Bridget, and you," he told his younger brother.

Anastasia saw what was going on and went over to see her boyfriend and his brother, smiling at them as she greeted the older man, "Hey, Sam."

Sam returned her smile. "Hello, Ana. I thought I'd come and surprise Jasper and your cousin."

"Well, it's a surprise long awaited for, that's for sure," she said with a grin.

Liam noticed what his sister was doing and went over, followed by Carrie. "Jasper, aren't you going to introduce us?"

Jasper nodded. "Sam, this is Ana's brother, Liam. Liam, this is my brother, Sam. He's a Marine who's here from Iraq."

Liam nodded as well. "I'm pleased to meet you, Sam." He presented Carrie to him. "This is my wife, Carrie."

"You're the happy couple? Well, congratulations then," Sam said with a grin.

Carrie smiled at Sam. "Thank you, Sam. It's nice to have you here on this special day. From what we've been hearing from Jasper, you're quite a soldier. It's not exactly the safest career, but someone has to do it."

Sam smiled again then turns to Bridget, kneeling down in front of her.

Bridget saw what Sam was doing. "Sam, what…"

"Let me talk," he replied. "Bridget, you captured my heart from the moment I laid eyes on you and although I was skeptical in the beginning, I knew that you were the one for me. I love you and I come before you today to ask you this very important question." He reached into his pocket and took out a little black box, opening it to reveal a diamond ring. "Bridget Nichole Mikaelson, will you marry me?"

"Oh, Sam, you're my best friend!" Bridget said with a tear-filled smile.

Sam smiled and placed the ring on her finger, kissed it and stood up, kissing her lips. "Is that a yes?"

"Of course it's a yes, you goof!" Bridget said as she kissed him back.

Sam smiled and kissed her. "I love you, Bridget."

Bridget returned his kiss. "I love you too, Sam, with all my heart and soul."

**Author's Note:** Yes, here comes another update! Enjoy this one, and KEEP REVIEWING! "Pages in Between" will probably be my most successful fan fiction so far, with over SIXTY REVIEWS, if you all keep it up!


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